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ABOUT THE COVER Shelby Ross and husband, Blaine, are dedicated wintertime anglers and love chasing trophy trout. Shelby was very proud of the 28-plus she landed recently fishing Matagorda Bay and we congratulate her on the accomplishment. February is recognized as one of the best months to land a trophy.

Lots of big trout tips and strategies in this issue…don’t let the opportunity pass you by!

FEBRUARY 2020 VOL 29 NO 10

CONTENTS

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

10 16 22 26

32 36 38 40 42 44 48 52 76 77

Making Adjustments During a Typical...

Winter Topwater and Twitchbait Benchmarks Not for the Faint of Heart Burly Black Drum

Steve Hillman Kevin Cochran Chuck Uzzle Joe Richard

22

Let’s Ask The Pro Shallow Water Fishing TPWD Field Notes Kayak Fishing Chronicles TSFMag Conservation News Fishy Facts Extreme Kayak Fishing & Sharks...

Plastic & Water Don’t Mix Boat Repair & Maintenance Science & the Sea

Jay Watkins Scott Null Zechariah Turk Dave Roberts CCA Texas Stephanie Boyd Eric Ozolins Everett Johnson Chris Mapp UT Marine Science Institute

WHAT OUR GUIDES

HAVE TO SAY

58 60 62 64 66 68

Dickie Colburn’s Sabine Scene The View from Matagorda Mid-Coast Bays with the Grays Hooked up with Rowsey Wayne’s Port Mansfield Report South Padre Fishing Scene

Dickie Colburn Bink Grimes Gary Gray David Rowsey Wayne Davis Ernest Cisneros

58

REGULARS 8 Editorial 56 New Tackle & Gear 70 Fishing Reports and Forecasts 72 Catch of the Month 74 Gulf Coast Kitchen

74

6 | February 2020

48

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Everett Johnson Everett@tsfmag.com VICE PRESIDENT PRODUCTION & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Pam Johnson Pam@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-550-9918 NATIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE Bart Manganiello Bartalm@optonline.net REGIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE Patti Elkins Patti@tsfmag.com Office: 361-785-3420 Cell: 361-649-2265

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HOW TO CONTACT TSFMAG: PHONE: 361-785-3420 FAX: 361 792-4530 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 429, Seadrift, Texas 77983 PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, TX 77983 WEB: www.TSFMAG.com PHOTO GALLERY: photos@tsfmag.com PRINTED IN THE USA. Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine (ISSN 1935-9586) is published monthly by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Inc., 58 Fisherman’s Lane, Seadrift, Texas 77983 l P. O. Box 429, Seadrift, TX 77983 © Copyright 1990 All rights reserved. Positively nothing in this publication may be reprinted or reproduced. *Views expressed by Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine contributors do not necessarily express the views of Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine.

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EDITORIAL

SCIENCE OR OPINION…WHICH SHOULD WE TRUST? Fisheries management is a complicated science.

What makes it even more complicated is attempting to practice it under a microscope. Not the lab instrument, what I’m referring to is the microscope of public scrutiny.

The job gets even tougher when bloviating jurists serving in the court of public opinion have never studied marine science, yet they are all bona fide experts. Just ask them. Just don’t ask to see their credentials.

The opinion I am about to express here may not play well with all who read it, but it is my carefully considered opinion and I’m about to let it fly.

The management of Texas’ marine fisheries is entrusted to the Coastal Fisheries Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The division staff includes a considerable number of PhDs, many more with master’s degrees, and perhaps hundreds of undergraduates in the field of marine science and resource management. Below these are the dedicated technicians without degrees but years and years of practical hands-on experience in the field. Many times I’ve heard Coastal Fisheries Ecosystem Leaders remark how skilled and knowledgeable some of the long-tenured technicians have become during their careers. This is the TPWD brain trust.

The rest of us are fishermen – by education and by trade. Some have many years of fishing experience, some only a few. In the final analysis, though, we are fishermen, not scientists.

We have no science-based data, perhaps a few notes of fishing success scribbled somewhere, much of what becomes accepted as fact is handed

8 | February 2020

down from other fishermen whose opinions should perhaps be questioned more than trusted. You might already be aware, the best way for a story to become factual is to repeat it often and loudly to willing listeners.

What I’m leading up to is the current dilemma of southern flounder management facing Coastal Fisheries staff and the commissioners to whom they report. Whether the court of public opinion is willing to accept TPWD’s data regarding the decline of southern flounder in Texas waters, it is documented very plainly in population sampling data going back more than forty years. For Joe Fisherman to believe his own anecdotal observations are more valid would be about as ridiculous as stalking a grizzly bear with a BB gun.

What fishermen have the greatest difficulty accepting is that population sampling via rod & reel, and flounder gig, is highly anecdotal and always selective. Fishermen are equipped to judge a fishery solely through fishing success. Nothing else. Yes, we are currently seeing what might appear to be a somewhat recovered flounder fishery, but only in terms of adult specimens in our creels.

So, I ask you, have any of the so-called expert fishermen blasting proposed regulatory changes conducted sampling of the fry and fingerling flounder populations that will become next year’s spawning adults?

Coastal Fisheries have, and the recruitment gap being revealed is cause for great alarm. We should be smart enough to realize that we must conserve spawning adults today if we are to enjoy a viable fishery in the future.

Beautiful postfront morning as I wait for my clients.

Making Adjustments during a

Typical Wintertime Trip STORY BY STEVE HILLMAN

M

any things are racing through my mind as I sit here in my boat tied up to the pier. The air temperature is 42°F following the passage of a strong cold front. Unlike yesterday, I can see every star in the sky and the tide has dropped almost two feet on the strong northwest wind. The atmospheric pressure was 1016 millibars yesterday and it’s now 1029 millibars. Surface water temperatures plummeted from 63° to 55° overnight and will undoubtedly continue to fall over the course of the day. How will the trout that have been so cooperative for us in recent days react to the sudden changes?

TSFMAG.com | 11

My new clients will arrive soon and I wonder what their skill levels will be. My guess is that our bites will be much more subtle than the day before. Will they be able to feel the soft, spongy bite of a lethargic post-front trout? Following handshakes and small talk, I will set out to hopefully ease their minds that they have chosen the right guide.

The wind is still brisk from the north. The flat I’ve been fishing is simply out of the question, not only because of the wrong wind direction but also because of the tide falling out. In addition, the pressure increase and water temperature decline will more than likely force them to move.

Where is the nearest deep water with suitable structure and food?

There is a deep bayou nearby that leads from a back lake to the bay with scattered oyster shell on one side. I caught a few fish in there after the last cold front but this front was much stronger. I’m hoping they might be stacked even thicker.

We started our drift in about three feet of water on the leeward side of the bayou. The wind would push us diagonally across the

middle of the bayou, which was approximately eight feet deep, then gradually shallowing up to three feet again on the windward side where the bottom consists of black mud with clusters of oysters.

We were all throwing various soft plastics rigged on 1/8 and 1/4 ounce jigheads. Every time my boat was positioned to where we were able to cast across the drop-off on the windward edge we would get bites but only a few hook-ups. Other than the fact that most of our trout were undersized, two things became obvious to me after the first couple of drifts. The guys using 1/8 ounce jigs had a higher hook-up ratio then the one guy throwing a 1/4, and twice as many bites were coming on limetreuse versus Chicken-On-A-Chain.

The reasons were simple when you consider the circumstances.

Soft plastics rigged on lighter jigheads stay in the strike zone longer than ones rigged with more weight, creating a more natural bait-like appearance to the trout that were suspended at a depth of about six feet, (more than likely a thermocline layer). In addition, because they were in a somewhat lethargic state and negative feeding pattern

Brian Castille with a solid one he finessed while working a soft plastic near the bottom on a chilly bluebird morning.

Ben Branstetter caught this healthy red while working wind-induced color streaks.

12 | February 2020

This thick trout (released) ate a Limetreuse 5” rat-tail Assassin during a late-morning minor feed.

One of the things I love about the Fat Boy is having the ability to bend the tail up or down for shallow or deep water.

TSFMAG.com | 13

14 | February 2020

Todd Aiken with a pretty speck he tricked with a MirrOlure Lil John.

warm under the bright late-morning sun. I also believe (and always have) that trout are much easier to trick in slightly off-colored water versus air-clear. It also didn’t hurt that the atmospheric pressure was already declining from when our morning first began. By having a solid plan and adjusting to the elements as they changed over the course of the morning we were able to have a successful day on the water.

Keep your head on a swivel, make adjustments, and good luck on the water!

STEVE HILLMAN

CONTACT

due to the sudden drop in water temperature, you were more likely to get bit by giving them a longer look at the lure. With regards to lure color, the bright limetreuse Saltwater Assassins and MirrOlure Lil’ Johns likely offered a better contrast than the darker baits due to the clarity of the water and clear, bright sky.

So now that we’ve figured out where the fish are, what they are willing to eat, and how to make a successful presentation, the next step is to decide if these small trout are worth staying around for.

Were there larger fish also present and simply not feeding yet? As I mentioned, the majority of the trout we were catching were just undersized but the few keepers we were catching were in the 18 to 20 inch range. My clients were doing a great job of detecting the soft bites so none of the throwbacks were hooked deep and were swimming away plenty healthy.

There are a few things to consider when contemplating leaving an area. We’ve all heard the old saying, “Never leave fish to find fish.”

While this is mostly true there are some exceptions. Had my new clients been letting the small specks swallow their jigs resulting in us unnecessarily killing them we would have relocated for sure. But this was not the case. In addition, the wind and super low tide had us very limited with regards to the areas we could target, and there were two other crucial factors we hadn’t yet had time to observe. The 13% waning moon was still about two hours above the horizon (on its way down), so we had yet to see the effects of the minor feed. The other factor, which is a huge here on Galveston Bay, is that the tide was due to start coming in around 9:30AM and it was going to be a big swing going from a -0.5 to 1.0 feet. Tide changes in this bay system (and most others) can often trigger the best bite of the entire day.

So the decision has been made to stay put for now to see what develops. We continued making drift after drift until the track lines on my GPS eventually turned a small section of the screen into a blob of jagged lines. We were able to catch a few more keepers but the action slowed with each pass across the bayou. Even the tiny trout stopped eating as the moon disappeared below the horizon.

And, as we approached the tail end of the minor feeding period, the tidal current had gone completely slack. The only thing we could do at this point was to wait and pray the fish would trigger again when the incoming tide began to arrive.

Remember that I mentioned that we were drifting across the deep portion of the bayou from one shallow edge to the other? Well, there is another area in this large bayou that I failed to mention.

There’s a sizable mud flat adjacent to the deeper portion of the bayou, closer to the open bay, that forms a cove of sorts. Water depth across this area of mud flat ranges from two to four feet and the bottom is mostly very soft mud with scattered shell. As we were drifting I kept noticing over my left shoulder an occasional mullet flipping there. We eventually relocated and what happened next was well worth the wait.

It seems our move couldn’t have been timed any better. The tide had just started to come in across the flat and up into the bayou.

Mullet were becoming more active by the minute. In a span of roughly an hour we caught between 30 and 40 trout up to five pounds on various soft plastics, MirrOlure Fat Boys, and Borbolleta Hot Rods.

Not only did the tide and moon play a role in our success, the stiff wind clouded and streaked the water on the flat which caused it to

Steve Hillman is a full-time fishing guide on his home waters of Galveston Bay. Steve fishes the entire Galveston Bay Complex, wading and drifting for trout, redfish, and flounder using artificial lures.

Phone 409-256-7937 Email captsteve@hillmanguideservice.com Web www.hillmanguideservice.com

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TSFMAG.com | 15

WINTER TOPWATE

BENCH

ER & TWITCHBAIT

S K R A M H STORY BY KEVIN COCHRAN

I

n the coldest season, many days on the water start and end much the same way, when chilly weather and water temperatures demand a predictable lure-choice strategy. On average, fishing in Jack Frost’s months means starting with soft plastics and dragging them low in the water column, maintaining regular contact with the bottom, switching “up” to slow-sinking twitchbaits only when bites come easily, temperatures climb and/or signs indicate fish activity at or near the water’s surface. Obviously, this truth applies more regularly in colder winters than in warmer ones.

Certainly, when water temperatures descend below 55° or so, this mantra makes more sense than some other strategy. When I find myself fishing in such raw conditions, I fall right into the standard game plan, one which has produced big trout for me many times.

Of course, on two different days, a water temperature of X degrees can lead one to completely different conclusions about which type of lure should produce more bites than others, since no day exists in a vacuum; all weather occurs on a continuum, as part of a cycle.

If an angler fishes on a day when a warming trend has brought water temperatures back up to 50°, after a strong front sent them plummeting down to the mid-40s for a day or two, the scenario differs significantly from one in which the effort occurs right when a harsh front drives water temps down to a low of 50°.

In the first situation, in response to the warming trend, trout might be more willing to rise off the bottom to take a swipe at a lure than in the second one, which happens during the rock-bottom low.

In addition to recent weather trends, time of year also affects the activity level of the fish in relatively cold water. The aggressiveness of trout in cold water increases in the second half of winter, since they become more acclimated to low temperatures over time. Consequently, a 55° water temperature occurring during a warming trend in February does not affect decisions about lure-choice in the same way the same temperature will at the end of a cold snap in December. When considering how a specific temperature likely affects the feeding mood of fish, one must consider the context in which the number exists, in addition to the raw number itself. While acknowledging this, I still base many lure-choice decisions on benchmark temperatures.

When working in water colder than 50°, I don’t spend much time throwing slowsinking twitchbaits, preferring soft plastics on light jigheads almost exclusively. At the other end of the spectrum, unless the water warms up to 60° or more, I won’t spend much time experimenting with topwaters. These two rules simplify things and enhance productivity for me. The trickier situations occur on days when water temps lie between 50 and 60°, 18 | February 2020

On trips made in the days and weeks prior to the release of this feature, the Captain and his customers caught good numbers of medium-sized trout on slow-sinking twitchbaits. Adrian Valdez used a Fat Boy to trick this one.

On a cold, early-February day, Kev started off throwing a soft plastic. After earning several bites, some of them quite aggressive strikes, he switched to a Catch 5 and caught this ten pounder. Water temperature that day hovered around 50 degrees, having warmed slightly from a low of about 47.

especially when prevailing temperatures send them climbing. On these days, slowsinking twitchbaits work well on a regular basis, but the other two types of lures can produce better in some situations.

The assertions I make here assume two basic things about the angling efforts to which they apply. One relates to the choice about whether to wade or fish from the boat. Generally, drifting anglers fish in deeper water than those who wade. This changes some aspects of the decisions about lure-choice. While it’s certainly possible to catch fish on twitchbaits while fishing out of the boat in depths of five to six feet or more, especially when one deploys a fast-sinking lure like a 51 or 52M MirrOlure while pointing the rodtip down at the water, soft plastics produce more strikes in this situation than other lures.

Heavier jigheads often facilitate a higher bite rate for drifters too.

I do almost all my fishing by wading, and I’m tempted to remove the word “almost” from the previous statement. Wading anglers, fishing in water ranging from two to about four feet deep, generally find lighter jigheads more productive, and they usually have a better chance to catch fish on slow-sinking twitchbaits, which can prove exceedingly difficult to present at the proper depth from a moving platform, in water of greater depths.

In addition to depth of water, I also assume something about the specific fish targeted when drawing conclusions about what lure will work best at various temperatures. I try to catch the biggest trout possible most of the time, especially when fishing during the colder half of the year, so I normally prefer throwing plugs which resemble small fish instead of those which mimic shrimp, because bigger trout eat more finfish than crustaceans.

This truth becomes more important in months when the variety of food available to the predators reaches its lowest point.

Bigger trout become intently focused on taking mullet and smaller trout during the winter months.

Results on trips made in the days and weeks prior to typing this piece remind me of other factors which add complexity to this puzzle. While we experienced a slow, steady bite on slow-sinking twitchbaits on a recent trip, my clients and I caught about 15 trout between 20 and 26 inches,

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with only half that many between 15 results in the lure darting a few feet and 19, and no undersized ones at all. forward, often triggering trailing fish Meanwhile, we watched a boat full of to strike. In these same warmer water drifting anglers and a pair of waders temperatures, I also sometimes replace nearby catching dinks at a much faster the twitchbait with a floating plug like a clip, using live shrimp, but they brought One Knocker or Skitter Walk. nearly no keepers to hand. Those facts In water temperatures at or above reinforced the way the dietary habits 60°, topwater lures work better on of the bigger trout complicate the lureaverage than they do in colder water. choice puzzle, in some situations.

I’m well aware they will work in water When big trout become “negative” of 50-something degrees, even under enough, stunned by low and/or 50°, on some special occasions, usually declining water temperatures, they during a warming trend after really won’t rise far from the bottom or move harsh weather breaks, but most of the laterally over much distance to strike time, deploying floating plugs in cold at a lure passing over their heads. They water reduces productivity, compared tend to sit on the bottom with their to what’s possible with slow-sinking heads and eyes cast downward. In such twitchbaits or soft plastics. a situation, dragging a soft plastic close Two types of scenarios increase the in front of their noses provides the only odds for catching big trout on topwaters chance to urge them to take a bite. during winter, both ironically involving But, in many other situations, either relatively windy conditions. The old in low/stable water temperatures, or stereotype about calm conditions On the same day Kev caught the 10 shown in the other picture low/rising water temperatures, and for enhancing the potential for a vigorous shown here, Jeremy Rhodes caught his first trout ever on a Fat Boy, a brief periods during which they become topwater bite don’t apply when a front 29-incher, then landed this 30 a short time later, using the same lure. slightly more active in pursuit of food, blows across the coast, or when strong like the rising or setting of a strong moon, a sweet turn in the tide, or onshore winds accompany rising temperatures and tides at the end of a subtle change in the weather, larger trout prefer to take a lure which several relatively warm days. Most of my best winter topwater sessions mimics a fish more than one that looks like a shrimp. occurred in one of those situations or the other.

Consequently, I constantly remind myself to continue trying slowEven in crystal clear water and under bright skies, big trout often sinking twitchbaits when water temperatures range from about 50 to strike topwaters with reckless abandon during the hour or so just prior 55°, even when I don’t see ample signs of life at or near the surface. to, during, and soon after a frontal passage, while north winds whistle.

Mostly, I prefer sinking Paul Brown Fat Boys, especially in clear to nearlySimilarly, they regularly rise and blow up under bright skies when balmy clear water and relatively calm conditions. When I find myself standing south winds churn the bays, creating background noise and/or turbidity in murky water, where I can’t see the grassbeds on the bottom in depths in the water. I always remain ready to deploy floating plugs when of two feet, I usually switch to a louder lure with brighter flash, like a formulating my winter strategies, for those reasons.

Catch 5 or Catch 2000. The clicking sounds and reflected light help the On most winter days, I start with a worm and work my way up, only if trout locate them, especially on sunny days. bites come easy and I see signs indicating fish moving around actively.

If winds crank up to around 20 knots and increase turbidity, and I I use the benchmarks described above to make decisions about when spend time casting in water resembling gray paint, I normally switch to experiment with different types of lures, always assuming a big trout to an Original Paul Brown Lure, bending the tail sharply downward, wants to eat a big meal, if possible. Additionally, I consider recent trends so the lure will spin when I retrieve it; the circling action helps the lure in weather to draw conclusions about the specific effects prevailing stay “down” in the water column. In strong winds and high waves, most temperatures will likely exert on the situation. other slow-sinking twitchbaits rise to the surface and glide, despite all efforts to keep them from doing so.

In most situations from December through March, when water temps range from 50 to 60°, I throw a Fat Boy or Catch 5, using steady, rhythmic twitches to create side to side movement of the head of the lure, then Kevin Cochran is a full-time fishing guide pausing the twitching to either reel the lure slowly toward me, or let at Corpus Christi (Padre Island), TX. Kevin is a speckled trout fanatic and has created it sink briefly in place. In warmer water, over about 55°, I increase the several books and dvds on the subject. speed and intensity of the twitching, and keep the lure moving almost Kevin’s home waters stretch from Corpus constantly. In colder water, I tone down all aspects of the presentation, Christi Bay to the Land Cut. allowing the lure to sink slowly in place for longer periods of time.

TROUT TRACKER GUIDE SERVICE When water temperatures rise (as they inevitably will) I increase the Phone 361-688-3714 intensity of the aspects of the presentation even more, incorporating Email kevxlr8@mygrande.net speed bursts after pauses, executing these bursts by holding the rodtip Web www.FishBaffinBay.com www.captainkevblogs.com steady and making three or four fast cranks with the reel handle. This

CONTACT

KEVIN COCHRAN

20 | February 2020

TSFMAG.com | 21

Not for the

faint of

One of the greatest aspects of wintertime fishing on Sabine is the serenity and solitude.

Heart O

kay, I’ll admit it, as weird as it sounds, I have a strange affinity for fishing in the colder months. Over the years I have developed an unusual sense of appreciation for chasing fish when the mercury dips and all the fair weather anglers have disappeared. I’m sure my initial foray into saltwater fishing had something to do with it, having made my first trips in November and December many years ago.

My good friend and neighbor at the time, Chris Gunn, had been a diehard winter angler for some time and he was nice enough to share that passion with me. Our number one pattern at that time was waiting for winter to chase redfish in the Sabine River with crankbaits – Rat-L-Traps to be specific. We did nothing but cover huge amounts of shoreline while cranking those plugs and hoping for a heavy thump from one of those hefty reds. When you found one you usually found more but it often required perseverance and lots of empty casts. That same pattern still holds true today, as well a

STORY BY CHUCK UZZLE

few others we have grown fond of over the years.

On the majority of the bay systems along the Texas gulf coast, winter fishing for many means wading in search of big speckled trout. Countless pages in magazines are dedicated to this pursuit and with good reason; some of the biggest fish of the year will be caught during winter. Sabine Lake and Calcasieu will undoubtedly give up some good fish during the early part of 2020 but those numbers will more than likely still be below average, thanks largely to the ridiculous weather patterns that have plagued both watersheds the past several years. Calcasieu will no doubt produce more big trout than Sabine this season, but the border estuary is beginning to show signs of a long overdue rebound.

Perhaps the best thing about the resurgence in Sabine’s trout population is the time of year in which it’s happening, during the winter season when the fishing pressure is the lowest. Anything that will help these first few batches of trout see another birthday is a great thing.

I mentioned wading for big trout and I won’t continue to beat

Dressing to stay warm is one of the keys to enjoying wintertime fishing.

that subject up because I’m quite certain it will be covered in depth in other columns. Besides that, there are other patterns here on Sabine that produce some fantastic fishing of their own. One of my own personal favorites is fishing drop-offs and ledges in the rivers and bayous that surround the lake. Over the years we have located small areas that include structure such as shell, downed trees that provide current breaks, or just plain old drains coming from the marshes. Both speckled trout and redfish will stack up in these places in big numbers and once you find them it makes for some fantastic action. Locating these fish on your electronics is half the battle and makes figuring out your presentation a little easier.

When fishing this particular pattern the fish usually fall into one of two categories; suspended, or holding on or near bottom. Undoubtedly the hardest fish to catch are those that are suspended, your window for productive presentation is narrow and requires some finesse. Depth control is critical so choosing the right lure weight will require some experimenting. Baits that incite an instant reaction strike really shine under such conditions and

No matter your angling style or preference, Waterloo’s got you covered!

24 | February 2020

can actually help negate the need for maintaining that perfect depth during the presentation. The instant reaction strike can also trigger other fish into biting when they may not be in an aggressive feeding mode.

Two lures I have found very useful in triggering reaction strikes from suspended fish are the Soft Plastic Jerk Shrimp from Marker 54 Lures and the Down South Lures Southern Shad. Both of these baits have great action and are very durable, which is a great combination. At no time during the year is it more important to continue fishing patiently in a small area once you either get a bite or catch a fish. Structure of some type and the way currents are deflected across it are key factors in why fish congregate. Finding one bite is your signal to keep working it.

A couple of factors to consider when chasing these fish on structure or drops is boat position and currents. Many times a vertical presentation works best and makes it easier to keep your bait in the strike zone. If you must cast, be sure to always This small trout couldn’t resist cast up-current because the the lifelike action of the Down presentation is more natural.

South on a light jighead.

Predator fish will stage into the current, facing the most likely direction from which an easy meal might be delivered. Casting down-current and then retrieving it against the current is unnatural.

This is partly why I mentioned that a vertical presentation is often the easiest to manage.

Now, one final piece of the puzzle that can increase your success many fold lies in using an ultra-sensitive high-quality rod and fishing line. Most everybody has their own idea of what makes a rod better or great and we are blessed that we have so many to choose from. I recently switched to Waterloo Rods and I cannot say enough good about them and their products. I have fallen in love with the Waterloo Carbon Mag; the sensitivity is out of this world and it certainly allows me to feel those really subtle wintertime bites. In the line category, I fish braid. If you are still using monofilament, all that I’m going to say is that you don’t know what you’re missing.

A few final tips are dressing appropriately for the conditions and keeping your PFD handy. I mentioned fishing patiently and there is no better way in my opinion to run out of patience on a subtle and sluggish wintertime bite than being uncomfortably cold. Keeping the PFD handy should be a no-brainer. Better yet, wear an inflatable PFD that activates automatically if you should happen to fall overboard.

Cold water is nothing to take lightly and should always be respected.

Now get out there and get bit!

This same stretch of water would likely attract a dozen boats in warmer weather.

Gulls resting on the water are the next best thing to actively wheeling, diving, and feeding.

The Marker 54 Shrimp and Down South Lures soft plastics have become recent favorites of the author for a variety of presentations.

CONTACT

CHUCK UZZLE Chuck fishes Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes from his home in Orange, TX. His specialties are light tackle and fly fishing for trout, reds, and flounder.

Phone 409-697-6111 Email wakesndrakes@yahoo.com Website wakesndrakes.com

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BURLY BLACK DRUM STORY BY JOE RICHARD

T

he drum clan may be one of the most diverse families found in Nature, or even on television. It’s largest member, the ponderous black drum, known to exceed 100 pounds, is somehow cousin to the (more noble) spotted seatrout and redfish. It also includes corbina, golden croaker, whiting, sand and Gulf trout, and even freshwater gaspergou. Black drum are a member of the drum family like Andre the Giant was part of the human race.

Happy anglers with ponderous black drum caught on 12-pound spin tackle.

The ideal drum bait: Half of a fresh blue crab with a circle hook pinned to the right spot.

Huge drum caught in shallow water by kayaker. These fish won’t really tow a kayak; instead they wallow and make short runs.

28 | February 2020

Since February marks the beginning of Texas’ annual run of spawning big drum, let’s review methods for catching this huge example of the drum family.

Way back when I lived in Houston inside the dreaded Loop 610, we were desperate to escape city life during winter weekends with the kids, and actually see some saltwater.

So, we’d drive down to Galveston. After touring Colonel Bubbie’s latest line of military surplus, we’d take a look at the jetties and then stop at Seawolf Park to watch the drum fishermen. These were mostly guys without boats who had a shot, at least for two months, at catching reliably big inshore fish. With an assortment of old tackle, rusty butcher knives, cutting boards and fresh blue crabs (bought from seafood markets), they’d rig up half a crab and pitch it way out there.

And then settle down and wait patiently in the weak winter sun, hoping for a serious bite. Often there were numerous hookups when the tide was moving. Over at the Texas City Dike, the same thing was going on.

Since that time we’ve caught quite a few of these big brutes, often from small boats, and not just during winter. On occasion I’ve actually targeted drum when taking out charter clients, because it turns out some folks are happy to have a 30- or 40-pound fish on the line. My photo of the retired couple shown here was taken last November and that fish was hard to lift in the boat; I knew better than to wrap it in my folding landing net. That fish ate a Gulp shrimp on the trout flats, far from any oyster reef, and was caught on 12-pound spin tackle. The angler was thrilled and next day wanted more, so I found some blue crabs, anchored over an oyster reef, and he soon caught another—though this time on more standard drum tackle, which is 30-pound spin gear with a 50-pound mono leader tied to a big red, sharp circle hook that penetrates well and is easily twisted loose for a release.

They say crawfish will work as bait, but getting live blue crabs is the ticket for reliable action on big drum. Don’t bother trying to catch those crabs in February, though. In cold water they’re mostly buried in the mud and nearly comatose. If you can let a crab trap soak in a saltwater bayou for a few days during a warm spell, then you can catch a few.

More readily so in March, and no problem in April. Scoring a dozen blue crabs for a winter drum trip mostly boils down to hitting a local seafood market on the right day, usually just before the weekend. Not too difficult: We have an Asian market only a mile from our house, and the wizened old woman there on the phone always says, “You come Friday!”

I’ll show up with a bucket and pick out a dozen of the biggest, meanest male crabs I can find, and keep them overnight in the fridge with a damp cloth covering the bucket, keeping the air moist for their gills. The crabs hibernate in the fridge, but once they warm up in the boat (if the sun is out) come out fighting mad. And most come to some bad ending, when the drum are biting. The crab’s top shell is pulled off and tossed overboard for chum. Then the big knife is used to cut right down the middle, creating two baits, each with four legs. The hook is attached through

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30 | February 2020

Commercial trotliner returns from Baffin Bay to Mansfield harbor during the big freeze in February, 1989.

It’s been more than 30 years since the twin freezes of 1989 and our coastal fish population has recovered nicely. (Though with flounder, not so much; it turns out they need cold winters to pull off a good spawning year class). The drum population seems to be doing quite well, with no weather events affecting them. And fishing pressure has certainly been well-managed.

JOE RICHARD

Joe Richard has fished the Gulf since 1967, starting out of Port Arthur, but his adventures have taken him up and down the entire coast.

He was the editor of Tide magazine for eight years, and later Florida Sportsman’s book and assistant magazine editor. He began guiding out of Port O’Connor in 1994. His specialty is big kingfish, and his latest book is The Kingfish Bible, New Revelations. Available at Seafavorites.com

CONTACT

the small paddle leg at the back of the crab, through the rubbery joint connecting leg to crab. You want that hook really exposed, not buried in crab shell. Sometimes a drum will thoughtfully chew that crab into a wad of broken shell and the hook gets stuck in crab and not drum. But not too often.

Some guides actually target what I call keeper-sized or “puppy” drum. Schools of these fish prowl the bays, saltwater ponds, and some of our jetties apparently all year long, and can make up a significant part of a day’s catch. Unlike sheepshead prowling above in the rocks, drum are mostly glued to sand bottom at the base of the jetties. Their mouths, after all, are built for bottom rooting. There have been drum caught at mid-depths on occasion, however. We’ve caught them at the Sabine jetties while using gold spoons and RatL-Trap lures, and I know we weren’t fishing near bottom. We’ve also caught drum at offshore rigs in state waters, above bottom while using spoons and jigs.

Some top jetty guides in Port O’Connor use what are literally 5-inch leaders. That pins the shrimp bait right on sand bottom for bottom-rooting drum. I’ve seen the rigs they’re using, a 2-ounce egg weight, swivel, very short 30 or 40-pound leader, and a J-hook.

They’re fishing where current is often a factor. In slack water, perhaps in a deep bayou or Galveston harbor, a standard bottom rig works well and you can use a longer leader in case of rocks, oyster reef or other structure.

The official Texas bag limit for black drum is five fish per day with a slot size of 14 to 30 inches. A single fish measuring 52 inches or more may be retained and counts in the daily bag. In waters under Texas’ jurisdiction (out to 9 nautical miles offshore), it’s four black drum per day with a 15-inch minimum size.

I’m not sure how biologists decided on allowing one drum over 52 inches, except that a drum of that size could be a state record.

The current Texas black drum record, at 81 pounds, was 51.18 inches long and caught in the Colorado River by Wally Escobar Jr. in June 1988. If memory serves, large black drum became protected only two months after his catch, and it was assumed the state record would never be beaten. However, about five years ago, an exception was made where anglers can keep one drum daily if longer than Wally’s. There have been no takers so far, at least from people who will catch, weigh, certify and register such a fish.

That’s clearly an opportunity for Texas inshore fishermen to find their way into the record books. If you catch one over 52 inches and it has a heavy girth, haul it home and have it weighed on certified scales. Better yet, weigh it while alive and if it falls short of 80 pounds, release it. Don’t bother trying to eat a really big drum, however. The meat will be tough, coarse, and carry a variety of internal parasites. We learned that grim lesson in Port Arthur back in high school days.

Not so with smaller drum, which often taste like redfish, some say they’re actually better. Black drum are still targeted commercially in Texas and have been for many years. During the big freeze in February 1989, I was in Port Mansfield and watched a small skiff arrive with a load of drum. I didn’t ask the guy if he caught them with the usual commercial trotlines, or if he just found those fish floating helpless in that bone-cold weather. It’s possible he just drove around and picked up a boatload.

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Air-clear and calm with tough written all over it.

J AY WAT K I N S

ASK THE PRO

FESSING UP TO TOUGH DAYS UNDER TOUGH CONDITIONS I hope everyone is enjoying the New Year; 2019 went by in a flash, so I guess the old adage that time flies remains true. I celebrated my 62nd birthday in December and have honestly never felt better. Sure, tired at day’s end, but give me a good night’s rest and I am ready for another day.

I am blessed to truly love my career and be busier than ever at this stage of the game. I believe this is a reflection of the passion I still have for fishing and people.

Social media has brought me some new younger clients that are recharging this old guide’s outlook and I am very thankful for this. Several new sponsorships as well that are forcing me to up my game and inspiring me to continue to learn and pass these findings along to fishermen willing to learn something new. Thus far 2020 looks to be shaping up to be another busy year for me and Jay Ray and we are looking forward to seeing many of you onboard our boats.

So, what do you do over the next several months when your fishing day presents less than favorable post-front conditions? The simplest way for me to explain how I handle situations like this is to describe some of my recent trips.

32 | February 2020

To set the stage; the past year was drier than average, which means we received below average freshwater runoff and little staining of the water in the major bay systems around Rockport. I personally like fishing the stained stuff, so long as salinity levels remain above 18-ppt.

The lack of freshwater runoff, along with reduced algae levels due to earlier-than-normal arrival of colder weather, has created some downright superclear bay waters. Add to this the scant amount of oystering activity in Aransas, Copano and westernmost portions of San Antonio Bay that normally contribute significant turbidity to our bay waters. Then we have the absence of tidal flow in Mesquite, northern Aransas, and southern San Antonio due to Cedar Bayou being closed. John Blaha reported recently that reopening of the bayou has been pushed back to 2021. Not what we wanted to hear, but it is what it is.

Along with all the above factors, add post-front highatmospheric pressure, clear skies, and dead calm winds.

Your day is setting up be super-tough. Two things which are positive, though, are the very early morning

and late afternoon feeding possibilities. In the past we would often not leave the dock until 1:00 or 2:00 PM and fish until the sun went down. It was always amazing to see the drain mouths and windward shorelines come alive about an hour before sunset. Being able to take advantage of a late afternoon solunar feeding period just might save the day.

This past week, the temperature dropped into the upper-30s two nights in a row. The water temperature declined to 47° but recovered to the low-50s by late afternoon. Our early wade on the first day produced a handful of solid trout but the bite died after the sun was up. With almost identical conditions, our late afternoon wade the next day produced a dozen really good fish. On both occasions we had either a major or minor solunar feeding period that I believe boosted our success – the rest of day was a grind to say the least.

My groups all week asked what I thought our prospects might be, given the conditions we were facing. Ever the optimist, and firmly believing I can make fish bite even under tough conditions (if I can get a lure in front of them), I had to give my answer some careful thought. Here’s what I told them.

Under tough conditions, I look for small areas that might concentrate fish, believing that competition for food might get them to take a lure when they otherwise might not. One or two bites can set the tone on these super-tough days.

With little success another recent day guiding two very capable and seasoned anglers, I came to the conclusion that the fish were simply not where I thought they would be, although I still believe gamefish seldom stray too far from a stable and reliable food

Lined up and grinding them out!

source. On this particular day we had few bites and caught only a few fish. The wind never blew more than 5 mph, tides were dead low, and water movement was literally zero.

The low tide situation is huge in my thinking as I believe trout have definite preferences for feeding in certain sections of the water column. No science to back this up, just forty years of experience fishing low tides that linger for extended periods. I tend to struggle during a prolonged low tide scenario, it messes with my mental game, and there’s no surer recipe for continued struggling than when you’re off your mental game.

The best strategy is believing in what you observe and then repeating what brought success. I was seriously doubting my mental game on the day with those two seasoned anglers until a late-afternoon wade in a swag that lies between two finger reefs.

I noticed a slight water movement which indicated a falling tide.

I honestly didn’t think it could get much lower but it seemed to be headed in that direction. With that air-clear water mentioned earlier, I could see every oyster shell and any signs of life between the reefs. Over the period of an hour I started seeing silver flashes moving into the slight current. Casting at an angle up-current allowed my lure to be presented naturally with the flow, in front of any feeding trout that might be present. I only caught four fish but all were on the edge of the slope to deeper water, along the edge of the shallower shell.

I believe the trout were coming up to meet the mullet – which reinforces my belief that predators never stray too far from a reliable food source – and that the darker edge of the deeper water put it all in motion. I have always preached the “deep and dark”

Rare treat for me, saltwater legend Cliff Webb doing what he does best.

TSFMAG.com | 33

34 | February 2020

was smart enough to know that I did not, and was then willing to search for answers that might reduce the odds on future days.

Fishing is one of the purest sports, the ultimate challenge, as it is subject to so many factors we will never be able to control. All one can do is learn to navigate through the tough days and maybe become more creative and make positive things happen when the situation demands this of us. I hope you enjoyed reading about my tough times. It’s meant to educate and let you know that even a guide with forty years of experience still suffers failure on tough days, the same as the average angler.

May your fishing always be catching! -Guide Jay Watkins

C O N TA C T

theory when fishing clear water. Predation not only comes from beneath, but also from above. When the water is clear, calm, and shallow, death can definitely lurk from above. Hence the foundation of the “deep and dark” theory.

In high atmospheric pressure weather patterns, my suggestion is to concentrate your efforts early and late in your favorite areas. For the in-between hours, concentrate on deeper and darker water with close proximity to shallow feeding zones where current velocity will be increased due to the sudden decrease in depth. Pay close attention to not only the surface activity you might or might not be observing, but also what’s happening below the surface where you’re standing. Be acutely aware of each cast so that when a bite is received you can duplicate it precisely. Chances are you will catch more fish if you can repeat the process.

Lure-wise, under the less-than-primo conditions I’ve been describing, I’ll go to my MirrOlure Lil John on an 1/8 or 1/16 ounce Texas Custom Lures jighead. Other good choices are the Texas Custom Lures Double D, Custom Corky, and the new MirrOlure Fat Boy Pro. I find that during some of the toughest times a Double D or floating Custom Corky presented aggressively will draw reaction strikes when they have no inclination to feed.

Failure is part of the learning process; maybe the most beneficial part, so long as you can swallow your pride and learn from it rather than dwelling on it. In the trip I mentioned in this article, I failed my guys and it felt terrible, but losing has always felt terrible to me. I was obviously not good enough that day to get the job done but I

Jay Watkins has been a full-time fishing guide at Rockport, TX, for more than 20 years. Jay specializes in wading yearround for trout and redfish with artificial lures. Jay covers the Texas coast from San Antonio Bay to Corpus Christi Bay. Telephone Email Website

361-729-9596 Jay@jaywatkins.com www.jaywatkins.com

TSFMAG.com | 35

C A P T. S COT T N U L L

S H A L L O W W AT E R F I S H I N G

PHOTOGRAPHY & BIRDING GO HAND-IN-HAND WITH FISHING I’ve said and written many times that fishing isn’t always about catching. There are many ways to have an enjoyable day on the water. Beyond hunting, fishing and woodworking I also thoroughly enjoy capturing photographs of the things I see and experience in the woods and on the water. It is a greater challenge to take a quality photograph of a fish than it is to catch it on a fly. It is a challenge I find myself embracing more deeply as I get older.

36 | February 2020

Photography is one of those hobbies that pushes me to do better because no matter how good the photograph, there is always a feeling it could be a little better. I enjoy diving deep into subjects and there is an endless amount of information out there to absorb.

Techniques, math, art, theories, experimentation and more are all a part of the process. Fully understanding and grasping the capabilities of your gear while also knowing its limitations is essential.

Practice is important. And lastly, working through the images in post processing on the computer is a vital part of it all and admittedly my weakest area. Almost sounds like I could be talking about fishing.

In your fishing, you know what your weakness is. Maybe you don’t feel comfortable working a topwater.

Perhaps it is a lack of confidence in working a soft plastic. It could just be in tying knots. Study it. Talk with those better than you. Practice. Repeat.

We’re all learning and striving to get better at whatever activity rings our

watchers. Throughout the winter the poling skiff affords the ability to get in close to the whooping cranes as well as all of the other waterfowl in the marsh making for some great photo opportunities.

The whoopers will be here another couple of months so if there is a birder in your life please send them my way and we’ll work on getting them on a unique trip.

C O N TA C T

bell. If not, then are you truly passionate about it? If you feel like you know it all, then you are likely being dishonest with yourself.

Self-examination and critique is how you get better at anything.

Unfortunately, I find that I likely have too many passions sometimes. A few years back I was out in the marsh poling my skiff on a day off from guiding. The redfish were in their typical fall pattern of roving schools pushing down shorelines devouring shrimp pushed from the cord grass. I’d been guiding this pattern for weeks and only had one day off before another long run of guiding and I was determined to take full advantage of my day. The reds were doing their part, but I was failing miserably in all aspects. My photos weren’t working and I couldn’t seem to seal the deal on hooking one either.

I was poling towards the next school when I looked down at the bow of the skiff and it all came into perfect focus. There was a casting rod with a DOA shrimp, a fly rod with 50’ of line stripped off, my camera with the big lens on a tripod and a GoPro. In that moment I realized that I couldn’t do any of it well if I was trying to do it all. It’s a lesson that applies to many aspects of life. I often have to remind myself to slow down and concentrate on what needs to be the priority for that day.

I say all of that to say this, if you want to capture some amazing images of what you experience in the outdoors you need to put away the rod or gun and accept that you will not catch or shoot anything…other than with the camera. If you are still at that point in your angling life where you feel you must catch as many fish as possible, then you aren’t there yet.

There is nothing wrong with that at all, but it is not compatible with making the best images possible.

Since that day in the marsh I have stuck to a plan. When I pack the boat I either lean towards fishing or photography. On a photography day I may stick a fly rod in the rack if I intend to stay out through the midday hours. Photography is best with the low sun angle of early morning. Once the sun gets higher in the sky the harsh light makes for poor photos. Fortunately that same high sun angle is what we need to see fish for sightcasting.

During a full day on the water I put the rod away and get the camera back out as the evening sun angle gets right again. I know that I’m passing up prime fishing times, but at least I get to scratch the itch and I’m not compromising my enjoyment of either one by letting the other get in the way.

I get almost as many questions via email or messaging regarding photography as I do about fishing. I started this article with the thought of writing an instructional piece, but as often happens my original plan morphs into something else.

There are unlimited on-line articles and books on gear, techniques and other “how-to” aspects. You can also spiral into a rabbit hole watching YouTube videos to gain the knowledge needed to get into serious photography. However, I’ve seen very few articles discussing the mental side of the hobby. True photography, not just snapping some pics with the camera on auto, requires commitment and a willingness to immerse yourself into it.

If you would like to learn more about it and maybe spend some time on the water working on your photography skills, I plan to start offering birding and photo trips this year. I can accommodate a pair of photographers on my Sabine skiff while poling through the back lakes of Matagorda Island. Many outdoor photographers are also bird

Capt. Scott Null is a devout shallow water fisherman offering guided adventues via kayak, poled skiff, and wading.

Telephone Email Website

281-450-2206 captscottnull@gmail.com www.captainscottnull.com

TSFMAG.com | 37

B y Ze c h a r i a h Tu r k | Ara n s a s B ay Eco s ys te m , TPWD Coastal Fisheries Division

FIELD NOTES

FISHING FOR THE FACTS Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s mission statement is “To manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.” To achieve this goal, the Coastal Fisheries Division makes fisheries management decisions informed by a variety of survey methods. Some of the necessary data is collected directly from anglers and commercial fishers during boat ramp surveys, but to fully understand the state of our estuarine communities, we must also go out and collect samples from the wild to estimate species abundance from data that aren’t limited by angler habits and preferences. Gill nets are one of the most important and effective gears that fisheries biologists use to collect these data.

The TPWD gill net monitoring program has been a source of contention for decades. For some, the words “gill net” conjure thoughts that the Texas coastline is covered in miles of fishing nets, similar to times before commercial gill netting was banned in 1980. Gill nets are clearly an efficient and effective method to catch and quantify fish, which is ultimately the reason that commercial gill netting was banned several decades ago. Due to a number of misconceptions and misunderstandings, 38 | February 2020

many anglers have voiced their concerns to our biologists about this program. Since the gill net gear can provide such important information about coastal resources, it is important to know exactly how TPWD uses this sampling gear, and more importantly, why it is still necessary.

A gill net is a large monofilament net designed to entangle passing fishes. Each TPWD gill net consists of four 150 ft panels of varying mesh sizes (3” to 6” across).

Nets are set perpendicular to the shoreline with the smallest mesh sizes on the shoreward side (Image 1). Nets are set just before sunset, and retrieval begins as soon as possible after sunrise to reduce interference with anglers.

Only 45 nets are used for sampling each spring and fall in each of the eight major bays along the Texas coast.

Within a given bay, no more than five nets are set each week, and no more than three are set at a single time. It has often been thought that TPWD will set nets in fishing hot spots, however, TPWD staff do not select the gill net sampling sites. The location of where each net will be set is predetermined by a computer that randomly selects an area of shoreline habitat from a database of all areas that can be sampled within a bay; this random approach of choosing where a net is set ensures that the data collected are spatially unbiased. If only fishing hot spots

were sampled by gill nets, this could inflate catch estimates and lead to the population appearing larger than it actually is.

Gill nets are ideal for sampling adult and subadult fish that are otherwise difficult to assess, because some species and age classes are more likely to avoid or escape other sampling gears used in TPWD’s Resource Monitoring Program; other techniques commonly used in freshwater fishery sampling (e.g. electrofishing) are simply not practical or possible in marine environments.

Compared to data collected at angler surveys, gill nets also provide a less biased snapshot of catch.

The nets are much less selective than anglers for targeting only a small subset of species, and the landings are not as constrained by size or bag limits (Image 2). While there is some mortality associated with fish captured in nets, many don’t realize that the amount of fish impacted by TPWD gill nets is negligible when compared to those harvested by recreational fishing. For example, coastwide, TPWD catches an average of 6,768 spotted seatrout each year, many of which are released alive. Those landings in TPWD gill nets account for only 0.7 % of the 913,660 estimated trout harvested each year by recreational anglers in Texas [not counting those caught and released by anglers].

TPWD Biologists are also trained to properly handle fish to maximize survival of those landed in gill nets. Live fish are measured and released as quickly as possible, and a live basket is kept onboard the sampling vessel to allow captured fish to recuperate. Survival rates vary by species, and it is heavily determined by how much time has lapsed since capture and if environmental parameters, like dissolved oxygen and temperature, are in an optimal range. Fish that do succumb to the stress of being captured are certainly not wasted. TPWD collect additional data from these specimens to provide more in-depth information that is critical to managing the fishery. For example, reproductive structures can be evaluated to assess sex ratios, otoliths (the inner ear stones of fish) can be extracted to examine age and growth, and various tissues can be collected to conduct genetic and diet studies. Once all of the scientifically valuable information has been collected, any fish that do not survive and are deemed edible are donated to charitable organizations that feed the local community.

TPWD Coastal Fisheries has one of the largest and most continuous marine resource databases in the world. Our data continues to prove to be fundamental for successfully managing this great State’s marine resources. The data that TPWD collects by sampling with gill nets is one piece of the puzzle that is used in combination with data collected through angler surveys and other fisheries sampling gear (i.e., shoreline bag seines and trawls) to make informed resource management decisions. TPWD continues to explore new sampling methods and incorporates new gears into the monitoring program

Image 1. Gill nets are set perpendicular to shore one hour before sunset.

Image 2. Gill nets are much less selective than anglers for sampling adult and sub-adult populations.

once it shows it can provide the same or better information than our current sampling methods. Ultimately, TPWD will continue best practices to achieve the goals outlined in its Mission Statement.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact your local Coastal Fisheries Field Office (https://tpwd.texas.gov/about/ administration-divisions/coastal-fisheries/field-offices).

Check the TPWD Outdoor Annual, your local TPWD Law Enforcement office, or tpwd.texas.gov for more info.

TSFMAG.com | 39

DAV E R O B E R T S

K AYA K F I S H I N G C H R O N I C L E S

CHASING WINTER TROUT When it comes to spending time on the water during the winter months, one of my favorites is chasing big trout. There is nothing finer than a violent headshake as a big trout comes thrashing to the surface on a brisk morning. February is regarded as the kickoff to what

40 | February 2020

many anglers call trophy trout season, that usually lasts through March and into April. The hunt for these big girls is never easy, or by any means guaranteed, but it is always a very rewarding experience when you succeed in tying into one.

The past few years on Sabine Lake have been disappointing and I’ve not enjoyed much success catching trout during the colder months. I fully understand the effects of successive extreme flooding events in the watershed and focused instead on tuning my wintertime redfish skills. Our local trout fishery is beginning to show signs of recovery and hopefully my craving for big trout action can be once again fulfilled here at home in the coming years. In the meantime, I decided I would break away from Sabine this year and chase big trout where they are more plentiful.

I reached out to my buddy,

The action remained fairly steady with only a short lull right before the tide switched, but once it did we went right back to catching. Long about noon I decided to stretch my legs and began to wade around the edge of the reefs in the area. I didn’t have to go far to find more trout and was soon hooking up every second or third cast. No, they were not giants, but they hit the Fat Boy aggressively and the steady action made for a lot of fun. I called Dustin to come over but he was catching them just as fast as I was.

We decided to call it quits after another hour and left them biting.

Making our way to the launch, we began reflecting on the day and agreed that even though we didn’t find the big trout we hoped for, it was an above-average day of catching and a very enjoyable outing. I truly appreciate these type days. Dustin commented that changing the limit to five trout on the middle coast has done nothing but improve the fishery, in his opinion. I am anxiously looking forward myself, hoping the five-fish rule will improve the Sabine fishery the same way.

I made the drive home very pleased with my first day at Matagorda and want to express sincere thanks for Dustin taking time to share his home waters and show me around. Probably won’t be long and I’ll be headed back down that way!

C O N TA C T

Dustin Nichols, also a member of the Jackson Kayak Fishing Team. I shot him a message asking if he’d be willing to show me around and put me on some fish. He quickly obliged and setting a date was not an issue as we work the same basic schedule with the same days off. We picked a day in the middle of the week knowing that boat traffic would be lighter.

I checked with Dustin the evening before the trip to dial into the game plan and gain a feel for what to expect. He laid out the plan and I got a feeling it was going to be very similar to fishing Sabine, just more oyster shell. I prepared my rods with new fluorocarbon leaders; one with a Corky Fat Boy and the other a Magnum Zoom Fluke for its large profile. I loaded my kayak and fishing gear and then set the timer on the coffee pot.

Anticipation running high, I didn’t get much sleep and was up before my alarm went off. I figured that I might as well get an early start and hit the road, eager for my first Matagorda fishing trip. I’ve fished a large portion of the Texas coast but this would be my first time between Freeport and Rockport.

Three hours of pushing down asphalt, I pulled into the launch point and found Dustin ready and waiting. It’s great to have fishing buddies with the same enthusiasm as your own. Unloading gear and prepping to launch, we went over the layout of the area we would be targeting and then headed out in the darkness.

Arriving to our spot, we could barely see the tops of the oyster patches, a signal that the tide was a bit lowered than expected. No worries though, this usually means the fish will be congregated in the deeper troughs around the reefs. We started off throwing Fat Boys and it didn’t take long for Dustin to hook up. He landed the first trout of the morning and it was a solid 20-incher. In the next few casts we both managed to put a few smaller fish in the kayaks and it was looking like it was going to be a good day.

Right about the time the sun broke the horizon, Dustin set the hook on a fish and we both knew he had a better one on the other end of the line. After a few good headshakes and other attempts to get free, Dustin had her in the net and it was photo time. We snapped a few quick pics and sent her back to give another angler a thrill.

We pushed on after the bite slowed and made our way to another nearby flat. Paddling up, we could see mullet flickering all across it and prayed it was a sign of hungry predators on the flat with them. Dustin quickly hooked up with a smaller fish and I was not far behind. I felt a slight thump and my initial thought was it was another small trout, until I set the hook. I knew instantly that it was a better fish, but also knew it was not a giant. That was my biggest fish of the day and she was a little over 20 inches; it felt good to finally catch a solid trout!

Dave Roberts is an avid kayak-fishing enthusiast fishing primarily the inshore Upper Coast region with occasional adventures to surf and nearshore Gulf of Mexico.

Email: TexasKayakChronicles@yahoo.com Website: www.TexasKayakChronicles.com

TSFMAG.com | 41

Credit: Moses Lake grass planting to Galveston Bay Foundation.

Story by John Blaha

T S F M A G C O N S E R VAT I O N N E W S

ARE YOU A GOOD STEWARD OF

TEXAS COASTAL RESOURCES? As we move into 2020 and our minds begin shifting from deer and duck blinds to coastal fishing, it is a good time for each of us to sit and think; “What would make me a better steward of the wonderful coastal resources that the Texas coast has to offer?”

As saltwater enthusiasts, opportunities are plentiful up and down the entire Texas coast. As the population along the coast and the number of families that travel to the coast continue to grow at a rapid pace, we must put our best foot forward to continue to educate ourselves and fellow users of the importance of conservation. We must all put our best foot forward to individually do all we can to insure sustainable resources for the future.

The populations of speckled trout and redfish are doing well according to recent resource surveys

by Coastal Fisheries Division of Texas Parks Wildlife Department (TPWD). This is great news for recreational fisherman, but as the number of fish stocks appears to be in good shape we must keep a constant vigil to make sure we sustain these valuable resources. Speckled trout regulations are now consistent along the entire coast, and flounder are now getting a very close look by the

42 | February 2020

TPWD Commission, with potential regulation changes on the way. While significant changes have been made to the flounder fishery regulations in the recent past, the continued average downward trend indicates more changes may be necessary.

Texas’ estuaries seem to be under constant attacks from continued coastal development, and the continuous loss of vital freshwater inflows to the bays. This is due to many factors; prolonged drought in some areas, rapidly growing populations all across the state, and constantly expanding industrial and agricultural needs.

In addition to the growth of our coastal-area towns, the number of recreational fishermen is expected to continue climbing, and the primary charge we have as stewards of the resource is to instill a conservation ethic into future fishermen as well as our current fishing buddies. This conservation ethic can come in many forms including keeping only the fish we need, picking up trash while navigating the bays and disposing of it properly, working with a conservation organization to improve coastal resources fundraising efforts for projects and management initiatives, and educating young and old

Volunteers placing oyster shell near Goose Island to create new substrate for oysters and habitat for fish and other species.

about the importance of respect for the resource.

TPWD, Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program (CBBEP), Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF), CCA Texas and other like organizations offer many ways to instill a stewardship mentality into the general fishing population and at the same time sharpen that of those that are already active conservationists. All of these organizations offer many educational opportunities in not only literature but also hands-on experiences such as hatchery tours, volunteer grass plantings, fishery surveys, beach cleanups and much more. Non-profit groups such as CCA Texas are always looking for new volunteers to work with local chapters in the day-to-day operations of the chapters and the fundraising process for the organization. The fundraising process provides the necessary funds to help advocate proper fisheries and habitat management, provide invaluable college education funds for future marine biologists, ensure research is current and cutting edge, provide state-of-the-art equipment for local game wardens, and much more. CCA Texas is proud to help provide these important dollars and to work with other organizations in the fight to ensure the coast for future generations.

In the end, conservation and stewardship is so much more than not keeping all the fish you can keep in a day. It is teaching our families, friends and peers to care for a resource that has been given

to us and why we have to take care of it now for the future. Many of us fall into the routine of fishing with our buddies, staying on the always elusive trophy fish hunt, or fulfilling that internal competitive fire by fishing every tournament we can. Take some time to get your kids and family on the water and let the beauty of the coastal resource soak in. You never know what you might see or learn that you have routinely overlooked. Education and individual action is the key to the future and if it’s overlooked our resources will decline, our efforts will be lost, and we stand the chance to become overly regulated in the use of our resources.

In closing, take a moment to think about the last time you were on the water and what you could have done differently. Could you have picked up a floating plastic bag that you just ran by, maybe explained to your fishing partners why the marsh they were fishing is so important, pointed out the importance of shallow seagrass beds to a companion new to the area, taken a few minutes to inform the local game wardens or Coastal Fisheries biologists of any unusual activity you may have seen, or maybe only kept a couple of fish for dinner instead of boxing a full limit.

For more information about CCA Texas and how you can get involved, please visit www.ccatexas.org or email to info@ccatexas.org.

10,000 plants were harvested from the NRG Eco Center and planted to replace washed out plants from Hurricane Harvey. (Photo Courtesy of Triton Environmental Solutions)

TSFMAG.com | 43

Photo by Matthew T Rader

STEPHANIE BOYD

F I S H Y FA C T S

WHALE SHARKS Whale sharks are the world’s largest living fish species. They hail from the order of carpet sharks, Orectolobiformes – a group of attractively patterned, mostly bottom-dwelling species. Commonly reaching over 30 feet long and weighing over 20 tons (larger than a school bus), the whale shark has a streamlined body and a broad, flat head with a mouth that is five feet wide and filled with tiny teeth (about 300 rows in each jaw). Its back and sides are gray/brown with a sort of checkerboard pattern of creamy white spots and stripes, and its belly is white. The function of the shark’s distinctive patterning is unknown. Many bottom-dwelling sharks have bold body markings that act as camouflage through disruptive coloration, so the markings could be a result of their carpet shark evolutionary lineage.

Each shark apparently has its own spot pattern, like how zebras each have their own stripe pattern. In fact, whale shark researchers have taken advantage of specialized computer software, originally designed for star mapping, to identify individual whale sharks from photos of their spots. Anyone can upload photos of whale sharks they encounter on the Wildbook for Whale Sharks website.

This gives researchers, with their ability to identify individual sharks, valuable migration data.

The whale shark has a very widespread distribution, 44 | February 2020

occurring around the world in all tropical and warm temperate seas, except the Mediterranean. In the Western Atlantic, they are found from New York through the Caribbean to central Brazil. In contrast to most carpet sharks, which are benthic (bottom-dwelling) species, the whale shark is mostly a pelagic (open-sea) species, though they are sometimes found in coastal areas.

They spend the majority of their time in the epipelagic (surface) zone, but sometimes dive over a mile deep, possibly to forage. Results from fatty acid dietary studies suggest that meso- and bathypelagic prey may be an important component of their diet. Whale sharks undertake fairly localized migrations, as well as largescale transoceanic migrations, probably in response to the timing and location of prey populations and possibly by breeding behavior. Scientists believe that some individuals swim across entire oceans just to arrive in time for a plankton bloom or mass spawning of fish or coral eggs. On a daily basis, they swim around 16 miles.

Though whale sharks are solitary creatures, they don’t have any qualms about sharing feeding grounds.

They feed on a wide variety of planktonic organisms and nektonic (larger free-swimming) prey, such as small crustaceans and schooling fishes. Occasionally, they even feed on tuna and squids. Phytoplankton (microscopic

plants), algae, and kelp have also been found in stomach contents.

Unlike most other filter feeders, whale sharks don’t rely solely on ram filtration, in which the animal opens its mouth and swims forward, pushing water and food into the mouth. They can also feed through active suction, drawing water into the mouth, then expelling it through the gills. In both cases, the filter pads separate food from water. These unique, black sieve-like structures are presumed to be modified gill rakers. Food separation in whale sharks is by cross-flow filtration, in which the water travels parallel to the filter pad surface, instead of perpendicularly through it, before passing to the outside.

Food particles above 2 to 3 mm in diameter continue to the back of the throat. This is an extremely efficient filtration method that minimizes fouling of the filter pad surface. Individuals have also been observed coughing, a mechanism that is thought to clear or flush the gill rakers of accumulated particles.

Being a suction feeder frees whale sharks from relying on ram filtration. This may be an important adaptation to the relatively nutrient-poor tropical seas they typically inhabit, since the available plankton are smaller and more widely scattered than at higher latitudes. Whale sharks often assume a vertical feeding posture, with the mouth near the surface, and actively ‘pump’ their bodies up-anddown in the water column. (This species has a smaller liver than most sharks and could conceivably control their buoyancy by swallowing air, as do sand tigers). Plankton density is probably sensed by the well-developed nostrils, located on either side of the upper jaw. They may cue in on a chemical released during zooplankton feeding, called dimethyl sulfide (DMS). Or they may notice the splashing commotion created by feeding tunas. This strategy would enable whale sharks to take advantage of the sensory capabilities of entire schools of tunas – using them like a truffle farmer uses a sensitive-snouted pig.

Whale shark reproductive ecology is poorly known. Pregnant females are seasonally found in the Eastern Pacific, but are rarely sighted outside this region. In July 1995, a 35-foot female was harpooned three miles off the east coast of Taiwan. When examined, she was found to contain about 50 empty, thin-shelled egg cases and just over 300 well-formed fetal pups, averaging about 20 inches in length each. (The smallest free-swimming specimen found in the wild, from the Philippines, was 18 inches. Size at birth is therefore presumed to be around this range.) This discovery established that whale sharks are ovoviviparous, a mode of reproduction in which embryos develop inside eggs that are retained within the mother’s body until they are ready to hatch; the developing young aren’t nourished by a placenta.

Paternity analysis on a subset of the offspring established that a single male might have sired the entire litter. The large litter size suggests

Photo from PX Here

that juvenile mortality in this species is high. A 22-inch pup was found in the stomach of a blue shark captured in central tropical Atlantic waters. Another, measuring 24 inches, was found in the stomach of a blue marlin caught off the northern coast of Mauritius. These and other records suggest that whale shark pups are born in the open ocean and are preyed upon by large pelagic predators, and also offers another possible explanation for their polka dotted design.

Such strongly contrasting markings may help schools of newborns to visually coordinate with each other in the vast open ocean. The pattern may also serve to confuse predators. Open-ocean predators, such as sharks and marlins, are highly visual hunters, so the bold markings of a school of pups may have a visual effect similar to a herd of stampeding zebras. Despite such protective measures, it seems likely that only a small percentage of pups reach adulthood. Based on growth band deposition, male whale sharks probably begin sexually maturing around 17 years and females between 19 and 22 years (in the Indo-Pacific). In the Gulf of Mexico, 50 percent of males mature at around 23 feet (based on visually estimated clasper morphology).

Although massive, whale sharks are docile fish and are considered harmless to humans. They are currently listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources: a global union of states, governmental agencies, and non-governmental organizations in a partnership that assesses the conservation status of species). According to the IUCN, the IndoPacific population is thought to have declined 63 percent over the past 75 years. The Atlantic population is thought to have declined more than 30 percent, and the populations are continuing to decrease.

However, they continue to be hunted in parts of Asia. In Taiwan, whale shark meat fetches a high price and this fact has stimulated larger harvests over the years. Fishing for this shark also occurs in the Philippines, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao areas, providing food for the local fishing communities. Whale sharks are also victims TSFMAG.com | 45

of shark finning, a wasteful (and often illegal) practice involving the removal of the dorsal fin and the disposal of the rest of the shark. The shark is usually still alive when it is tossed back into the water. Unable to swim properly, finned sharks slowly sink and die of suffocation or blood loss.

Fortunately, the predictable occurrence of whale sharks in large numbers in a few places, such as Western Australia where they migrate in the spring, has led to the development of an expanding tourism industry, which makes their value alive higher than their value to fishers. Some regions even manage tourism, such as licensing of a limited number of operated tours. For the economic stimulus, and perhaps because they are such impressive animals, most places around the world offer whale sharks complete legal protection.

Additionally, the whale shark is sometimes used as an indicator of waters rich in plankton (and therefore plankton-feeding fish that will, in turn, attract more valuable species, such as tuna) and the overall health of our oceans.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about whale sharks is that, despite being enormous, commonly encountered, easily identified, and even commercially fished creatures, there is so little known about them. However, as more people come to appreciate the value of whale sharks as a living resource, the movement to protect them (or at least harvest them sustainably) will grow, and our opportunities for learning more about their natural history will improve dramatically.

You know what’s scarier than an ocean with sharks?

An ocean without them. ~ Conservation International

46 | February 2020

Where I learned about whale sharks, and you can too!

Wildbook for Whale Sharks www.whaleshark.org/ World Register of Marine Species www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=105847#distributions IUCN Red List www.iucnredlist.org/species/19488/2365291#conservationevidence World Wildlife Federation www.worldwildlife.org/species/whale-shark Elasmo Research www.elasmo-research.org/education/ecology/coral-whale_shark.htm Oceana oceana.org/marine-life/sharks-rays/whale-shark Florida Museum www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/rhincodon-typus/ Live Science www.livescience.com/55412-whale-sharks.html National Geographic www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/w/whale-shark/ Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_shark

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TSFMAG.com | 47

Author and daughter, Aurora; pair of rare December bonito from the PINS surf.

ERIC OZOLINS

E X T R E M E K AYA K F I S H I N G & S H A R K S F R O M T H E S A N D

WINTER WONDERLAND Over the years, fishermen in Texas have learned to accept volatile weather patterns. We’re fortunate to claim a coast where we can fish year-round. Through the sizzle of summer doldrums to the chill of arctic blasts, fishing opportunities remain viable at the edge of the Gulf all year.

The entire surf zone, from High Island all the way down to South Padre Island, endures everything nature throws at it without becoming completely lifeless and unproductive.

48 | February 2020

The fishery does more than endure the changes; it also depends on them for its health. The most consistent aspect of Texas weather patterns is their undeniable inconsistency. The coldest season is no different, and we’ve seen some unusual, almost incredible things along our beaches during the topsy-turvy early part of this winter. Fortunately, the fishing gods have smiled on us recently, and created a winter wonderland!

The first strange and significant events occurred Alexis Anthony with a fine wintertime sandbar, during the second week of released in great shape.

November 2019, when an extremely early arctic blast pushed air temperatures down into the 30s in South Texas. In some of these areas, wind chills dropped to a frigid 20°! The freakishly frigid conditions stunned many inshore fish and other marine creatures. When this happened, many people predicted the winter of ‘19-’20 would be cold and harsh.

But the severe chill lasted just a few days, before more

seasonal temperatures returned. Conditions a couple weeks later presented us with a spell of glorious fall weather we’d all been hoping for. The only negative result of the major November front was a lack of jackfish in the surf. Despite an especially active spring, the fall jackfish run simply did not materialize in the Texas surf; it was by far the slowest fall jackfish bite I’ve ever experienced.

Fortunately, the jack crevalle were really the only unresponsive/ absent species in the autumn surf. The shortage of jackfish activity was offset by runs of several other species. Good conditions brought in massive numbers of fish. The rest of November warmed up to ironically ‘consistent’ patterns, and the water temperatures along the coast stayed stable and high for several weeks, concentrating the bait and predators along the beachfront.

As the calendar slid into December, the surf had become full of life.

Mullet of all sizes, along with other readily available species of baitfish, cruised the shallows. The redfish, in particular the large oversized specimens, stormed the beaches and chased the bait. Not uncommon this time of year, the scenario was unusual because the copious Mature female blacktip fitted with a PSAT device prior to release.

James Graff prepares for release of a great mid-winter blacktip.

amounts of bait kept the marauding reds so close to the beach, where they competed with bluefish and mackerel. Red drum have always been a staple for many winter surf anglers, and this season left many individuals smiling from ear to ear.

About the same time, Florida pompano came into the shallows of the surf with a vengeance. While pompano are a normal sight during most nice-day winter outings, to say this season has been exceptional for targeting the species would be a gross understatement. For weeks on end, anglers continually hooked numerous pompano on every outing. With this fish being so highly-prized for table fare in our area, this was a great treat for anglers. Ideal water temps associated with exceptional water clarity likely played huge parts in encouraging great numbers of these tasty fish to appear in the surf. I expect the pompano to stay thick along the beaches until March, as long as conditions remain relatively stable.

One of the biggest surprises for me so far this season was the large numbers of little tunny which showed up. Sometimes incorrectly called bonito, little tunny are actually small tuna, averaging five pounds or so, on average. They feed exclusively on small baitfish and fry, both of which were abundant in the surf early this winter. On multiple occasions, until around the end of the year, these hydrodynamic torpedoes strategically raided the inshore waters and beaches.

Every few years, Texas surf anglers get a chance to witness these predators feeding within casting distance of the beach. All of the past occasions on which I’ve experienced the phenomenon occurred in the spring, so this was the first winter little tunny raid for me.

Amazingly, this time the hungry tuna formed tactical schools and chased their prey over the first sandbar and into the shallows right on the beach, something I’ve never seen before. The whole thing felt like a National Geographic documentary.

With the generous amounts of all sizes of baitfish around, the sharks would not be far behind. Alexis and I had a memorable overnight trip in December when we landed eight sharks on one evening, five being solid sandbar sharks. Sandbars are our most common winter shark species. They come in to feed on the pompano, whiting, and black drum. South Texas is a sandbar hotspot, as the region provides excellent mating and pupping habitat for this federally protected species.

While we have specimens of all sizes, a high percentage are mature brutes. When the sandbars come rolling through, they’re usually in good numbers. During back-to-back December outings, I had bites on roughly 25 consecutive large, kayaked shark baits. The amount of hungry sharks was truly staggering, a welcome gift to sharking enthusiast like me!

Sandbar sharks weren’t the only shark species invading the winter surf. In a rarely seen event, mature blacktip sharks made their presence known right before the arrival of the New Year. Most appeared to be large, pregnant females. The last time I recall seeing so many big members of this species so late in the year was back in 2002. I’d say the copious amounts of pompano, little tunny, whiting and other prey species set up a plentiful TSFMAG.com | 49

C O N TA C T

buffet, and the blacktips came to the beach to fatten up for Christmas once again. This gave me a chance to do some last-minute tagging for the Harte Research Institute, and I attached some specialized tags to a few requested blacktips. I inserted “pop-up satellite archival tags” into three specimens, to aid scientific studies of the species.

As the days moved into 2020, our weather remained relatively stable, and folks along the entire Texas coast enjoyed mild temperatures. If this moderate pattern persists, many of the species present will linger in the surf. More likely, since Texas weather is so inconsistent and sporadic, we’ll probably see changes before winter officially ends. Historically, in both January and February, we endure a few more shots of arctic air, so we might Very rare in wintertime… see some cold weather before spring settles in. little tunny (bonito) hustling My customers have been quite pleased so far this tiny baitfish in the shallows. winter, since we’ve been fortunate with the weather and blessed with productivity in our efforts. Personally, I really enjoy the wonders when winter offers a full plate like it has done recently.

But I can’t lie--I always look forward to the coming rites of spring! My favorite season includes the invasion of scalloped hammerheads and behemoth bull sharks, also the chaos wrought by jack crevalle. Like every other season, spring promises a plentiful bounty to anglers. fishing along the beachfronts of Texas.

50 | February 2020

For the past decade Eric ‘Oz’ Ozolins has been promoting shark catch and release and assisting various shark research programs. Eric offers guided shark fishing on Padre Island National Seashore. Also renowned for extreme kayak big game fishing, Eric is the owner of Catch Sharks Tackle Company.

Email Websites

oz@oceanepics.com oceanepics.com | catchsharks.com

TSFMAG.com | 51

EVERETT JOHNSON

P L A S T I C & W AT E R D O N ' T M I X

25TH ANNUAL BILLY SANDIFER

BIG SHELL CLEANUP

The 25th Annual Billy Sandifer Big Shell Cleanup is slated for Saturday February 29, 2020 at the Padre Island National Seashore. This is the Silver Anniversary of this unique event. Volunteers are needed at Malaquite Visitor’s center no later than 8:00 AM on Saturday, February 29. Normal park admission will be waived for Cleanup participants – notify the park ranger at the park entrance gate that you are a cleanup volunteer. Especially needed

52 | February 2020

are volunteers with 4x4s willing to haul walk-in volunteers and also to pull trailers to the work area.

This event takes place rain or shine. Proper attire and footwear is strongly recommended – long pants, warm jackets, rain gear, closed-toe hiking-type shoes, etc.

Work gloves, drinking water, and snacks will be provided down-island for the volunteers. Bring a lunch if you feel you will need one.

Since its inception, more than 9925 volunteers have removed 2,876,000 pounds of trash from this remote and wild stretch of four-wheel-driveonly beach. While supplies last, we will also be distributing special commemorative t-shirts designed

by Aug’s Art along with lunch at the conclusion of the event. Volunteers are invited to meet at the Visitor’s Center Pavilion as we wrap things up from 1:00 to 2:00 PM. For more information visit friendsofpadre.com Contact: Tyler Thorsen – Vice President - Friends of Padre for more information. Email: tthorsen@ grandecom.net or 361 779 – 3044

Boating Safety Education for Texas Recreational Anglers

The Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service/Texas Sea Grant Boating Safety Series will have a classroom and hands-on Boaters Education Course on March 7, 2020 from 8:30am – 4:00 pm at the Calhoun County Agriculture Building in Port Lavaca. Successful completion of this course will provide the participant with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Boaters Education Certification.

The TPWD Boaters Education Certification is required for anyone born on or after September 1, 1993 who operates any vessel over 15 horsepower, wind-blown vessel over 14 feet and all personal watercraft. This class will be split between classroom and hands-on learning activities that will take place outside.

The classroom portion of this class will cover basic boat information to prepare the participants for the rest of the day. Once everyone has a basic understanding of boating terms, we will cover predeparture activities such as: vessel capacity, float plans, proper fueling procedures, trailering and vessel and engine maintenance.

The next portion of the class will cover the legal requirements associated with recreational boat operation such as vessel numbering, age requirements for vessel operation, required safety equipment and navigation lights. This will be followed by a section on safe boating operation which will cover basic navigation rules,

proper anchoring, kill switches and avoiding propeller strike injuries.

The final section of the classroom activities will cover boating emergencies with an emphasis on risk management and prevention.

After the classroom portion has been completed the participants will go outside to receive hands-on instruction from Professional Mariners from the USCG, USCG Auxiliary, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Sea Grant and the Port Lavaca Fire Department. These agencies will have their personal equipment on site to provide a unique learning experience that should be beneficial to anyone that spends time on a boat.

Families are welcome to attend the class together. Making sure that everyone on board the boat knows what is and is not safe to do can prevent an unnecessary boating accident and it might save some lives if the primary vessel operator in the family gets injured or has a medical emergency and is unable to drive the boat back to a safe location. The cost of the course is $20 which is due at the door. Participants must register for the class at https://tpwd. elementlms.com/course/boater-education-classroom-course-965/.

Lunch will be provided courtesy of Coastal Bend Marine. If you have any questions, please contact Capt. RJ Shelly at the Calhoun County Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service office (361) 552-9747.

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'S TM

Just when you think they’ve surely run out of ideas, here comes another innovative fillet knife product from the folks at Bubba!

Coming to retailers very soon: The latest addition to the family of Bubba fillet knife products is the Multi-Flex Full-Tang Interchangeable Fillet Knife Set. Blades include Bubba’s 7” Tapered Flex, 8” Ultra Flex, 9” Stiff, and 9” Serrated Flex; and of course the iconic Bubba non-slip handle that incorporates a very secure locking mechanism to insure the blades will not become disengaged during the process of cleaning and filleting your catch.

All four blades and the handle store neatly in recessed pockets molded into the carrying case tray – which, by the way, is easily removable for cleaning.

The Full-Tang design of the blades and Locking System are very important safety features. No room for error when working with extremely sharp blades! Once the blade is locked into the handle it’s there to stay until the dual locking lugs are depressed and the blade is disengaged for removal. The full-length tang is integral to the blade itself and extends through the length of the handle for added strength and durability. Switching blades can be accomplished in a few seconds.

Electric fillet knives are very popular, no doubt, and Bubba has addressed this with the introduction of their EFK last year. But a great many fishermen still prefer traditional blades for processing their catches. The advantages here are obvious; not all fish cleaning stations have electrical service; and traditionalists are, well, very traditional in how they prefer to go about these chores.

One of the problems encountered with carrying a single traditional blade, though, has always been the fillet knife losing its edge when slicing through tough scales and rib bones. Especially when cleaning some of our tastiest and most popular inshore species – redfish and black drum.

That problem is easily solved with the Interchangeable Blade concept. In the accompanying photos you will see the 9” Serrated blade being selected to slice through the tough stuff, and then either the 7” Tapered Flex or 8” Ultra Flex for the not-so-demanding remainder of the work where smooth cuts yield the prettiest fillets.

The 9” Stiff is a great all-around choice for any of the larger species; large red snapper, dorado, and cobia.

Perhaps two of the key design attributes of all the blades in the set are the Titanium-Nitride coatings and the ease by which they can be re-sharpened. The Titanium-Nitride coating allows the blades to glide through flesh easily as cuts are being made, and the high-carbon material from which the blades are made lends to quicker and easier re-sharpening, as compared to other common blade alloys. A few swipes across a sharpening steel realigns the edge of the smooth blades and a few passes through a device such as the Work Sharp is all that’s necessary to restore the edge of the 9” Serrated.

All in and all done, The Bubba Interchangeable Fillet Knife is a four-in-one kit that comes in its own carrying case for easy and safe storage on the boat or a fishing gear bag. We cleaned several reds with it recently and two black drum – quickly and easily. The 9” Serrated ripped through tough scales and rib bones with very little effort, while the 7” Flex and 8” Ultra Flex took care of removing the skin and ribs from the fillet. Using the blades in this combination helped preserve the keen edges of the smooth blades.

No more worries about electricity at the cleaning station, or whether the fillet knife battery is charged – no need to carry multiple knives for a variety of filleting chores – everything you need to fillet fish like a pro in one neat package.

Look for it soon at your favorite tackle shop and outdoor retailer.

Inside the carrying case; the handle and blades are nested in a molded tray that can be removed for cleaning.

The Bubba Interchangeable Blade set comes in a molded case suitable for carrying on the boat or gear bag.

54 | February 2020

BEEN AT IT AGAIN Blades can be switched in seconds. Here, Louie Weiss has selected the 9” Serrated Flex to begin filleting a red drum.

Look for the Bubba Multi-Flex Interchangeable Blade Knife Set soon at these fine retailers near you: • Carroll’s Gun Shop • CB Marine & Supply • Fishing Tackle Unlimited • Jeco’s Marine & Tackle • Johnny’s Sport Shop • Matagorda Outfitters • Port O’Connor Rod & Gun • Rockport Tackle Town • Roy’s Bait & Tackle • Scooters Lawn Mower Service • SlickWater Tackle • Victoria All Sports • Waterloo Pro Shop

The 9” Serrated Flex makes quick work of slicing through thick scales; a task that can dull smooth-edged blades.

Continuing on, the 9” Serrated Flex also slices easily through tough rib bones.

Removing skin from fillets is accomplished easily with the 8” Ultra Flex blade.

TSFMAG.com | 55

NEW

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Frogg Toggs - Pilot River Guide Stockingfoot Wader The Pilot River Guide Stockingfoot Chest Wader is perfect for long days on the water. The new comfort-fit Y-Back mesh straps with adjustable elastic suspenders are designed for added comfort and breathability. Low-profile buckles make it easy to slip on other garments over the top if needed. Made from Ripstop fabric, the Pilot River Guide Stocking Foot Wader also features two zippered chest storage pockets, and a pass-through hand warmer chest pocket for cold days. Gravel guards, lace hooks, and form-fitting booties wrap up the features on this new wader. Focus on your perfect catch in the comfort of a wader designed by longtime fishermen. www.FroggToggs.com

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56 | February 2020

P R O D U C T S

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Denali – Women’s Long Sleeve ChillBro Crew Neck Denali has introduced a women’s long sleeve crew neck as part of their new ChillBro® line of lightweight performance sun-protective shirts. Shown is style 52327 in Pink Ice. Other colors available will be White, Whisper Grey, Aqua Mist, and Ice Blue.

Designed to complement Denali’s recently released men’s ChillBro® line, the women’s line is made of the same proprietary ChillBro® Mega Solar® Sun Protective fabric that is rated UPF 50+ by an independent certified lab. ChillBro® is recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation for the highest level of UVA and UVB radiation blockage.

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Excel Storm Cat 210 Wide, deep, tough, fast, and versatile. The spacious 102” beam and deep 28” sides handles bigger and rougher waters and provides a wide and stable fishing platform for Texas lakes and bays. Thick .160 gauge aluminum takes a pounding – thickest aluminum hull on the market. The Excelleration™ Pad Hull runs smooth and extremely fast. A full-height, walkthrough windshield protects from the elements and extends your fishing season. Forty gallon fuel tank provides miles and miles of range, fifty-five gallon recirculating livewell holds your catch on a successful day. The Storm Cat is loaded with dry storage compartments for gear and rods. For more information see your nearest Excel dealer.

DAVE REYNOLDS - 801.352.8011 dave@ExcelBoats.net

TSFMAG.com | 57

DICKIE COLBURN

DICKIE COLBURN’S Sabine Scene

S ab i n e

Dickie Colburn is a full time guide out of Orange, Texas. Dickie has 37 years experience guiding on Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes.

Telephone 409-883-0723 Website www.sabineconnection.com

Mother Nature would be hard-pressed to be any more accommodating for Sabine anglers than she has been over the past two months. Rainfall has been minimal at the worst and winter has been virtually nonexistent. With the exception of church on Sundays, I have worn long pants only twice this year!

The combination of both clearer water and warmer surface water temperatures (63° on Christmas Eve) have made a steadily improving bite much easier to exploit. More fishermen are finally catching more trout and a higher number of them are fifteen to eighteen inch fish.

The only negative has been very much akin to a baseball team with a team batting average of .310 that hasn’t hit a homerun in two years. In spite of catching better numbers, the big trout just aren’t there, even for the handful of anglers that continue to target only big fish.

Years of experience were laid to rest virtually overnight thanks to three major flood events in a very short period of time. As the trout population continues to improve, figuring out the most productive patterns now includes relearning the bottom structure that tends to hold the fish.

You need look no further than Sidney Island, or what remains of it, to realize that a phenomenal amount of the scattered shell on the north end of the lake is now buried in at least a foot of loose mud and sand. In an hour’s time, I recently deleted sixteen waypoints that once marked reliable patches of shell that no longer exist.

At least from my own experiences and the fishermen I talk with, there is little doubt that there is a larger number of solid trout coming off the south end of the lake. Aside from the fact that the fish are obviously there, there has been more wading taking place and the larger trout have been opting for not only mullet imitations, but longer-bodied soft plastics as well.

At the same time, there is far more exposed shell remaining on that end of the lake and those opting to stay in the boat can still catch the heck out of smaller trout and reds, drifting in two to four feet of water.

Swimming a five-inch rattail Assassin or a Down South paddletail rigged on a one-eighth ounce head has been the ticket for us.

Even after forty-plus years of guiding, I still do a very poor job of fishing the revetment walls and they are as hot as any area in the lake right now. I can catch fish

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58 | February 2020

when everyone else does, but I do a poor job of locating them on my own. More often than not, my biggest mistake is sitting on top of the fish casting toward the rocks.

Slicks and the route the baitfish are trafficking are the keys to consistently making the wall pay off. Therefore, while topwaters can at times be dynamite, the more productive tactic is usually to fish mullet Catching was easier than getting young Wyatt to pose for the photo!

imitations or crankbaits like the Swimmin’ Image parallel to the wall in deeper water. I have also seen the bite on the walls just crazy good at the same time that I can’t catch a fish anywhere else!

Thus far, and for good reason, the passes and the mouths of the bayous are drawing the largest crowds every morning and afternoon.

The birds will work extremely hard at times, but they don’t have to be ratting out surface activity to catch trout. As long as there is good tide movement, the fish will hold in the same areas and can still be fooled.

Any fishing report is relative and the fact that so many smaller trout are coming off the north end is in great part due to the fact that most anglers are fishing smaller plastics that tend to dupe smaller fish. Four inch tails like the Assassin Sea Shad and Lil ’John have been much more productive than the longer tails.

Even when hunting fish with a swimbait, a three-inch Usual Suspect has worked better than the four-inch version. There is also no doubt that the shorter tails as well as a Vudu shrimp have been much more effective fished under a cork on an 18 to 24-inch leader.

The current bite may be a tad disappointing as far as big trout are concerned, but it is tailor made for youngsters and anglers more concerned with non-stop action than the next fish fry!

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www.JBraid.com TSFMAG.com | 59

BINK GRIMES

THE VIEW FROM Matagorda

M ata go r d a

Bink Grimes is a full-time fishing and hunting guide, freelance writer and photographer, and owner of Sunrise Lodge on Matagorda Bay.

Telephone 979-241-1705 Email binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net Website matagordasunriselodge.com

60 | February 2020

February is my least favorite month of the year, and for obvious reasons. The last football game has been played, the last duck has been shot, and dreary gray weather often persists for days on end. However, it’s also a month to catch my breath following a long and strenuous duck season and do all those refurbish jobs at the lodge to get ready for a busy spring season.

I don’t enjoy bundling beyond motion just to survive the chilling boat ride, yet, if you choose your days and fish between cold blasts, truth of the matter is February is quite productive.

Cold weather narrows down the productive water in the bays. We focus on the guts and sloughs when fishing during February, since this is normally the month of the consistently lowest tides of the entire year.

We work toward the guts with Chicken of the “C” Down Souths, Bass Assassin Sea Shad, and Texas Custom Lures Soft-Dines and Corkys. The slightest twinge of the line signals the bite. Sometimes it’s more like a peck; but the sharp hook finds lips.

That’s what I look for this time of year – the slightest sign of life. One mullet in February is like an

acre of mullet during summer. Though, many times it’s hard to find one mullet.

We like the water temperature around at least 53°. It seems the trout bite a little better. Anything lower and it’s 50/50 whether they will be willing to take a lure.

Find points of sloughs and bayous and anchor within casting distance.

These points normally hold the deepest water as outgoing and incoming tidal flows carve depressions in the soft bottom. Live shrimp under a popping cork works every time, but plastics like Gulps and Bass Assassins also draw plenty of attention.

If speckled trout don’t cooperate, redfish are readily available in guts and bayous up and down the coast. Some of the lowest tides of the year occur this month, so you can eliminate lots of water. Concentrate on the areas that fall from waist to chest deep during the summer – those same areas are probably knee to waist deep in February.

Remember these areas because you will find the same fish in July when the

lowest tides of summer commence.

Sand trout are another winter option that requires minimal skills. Channels and bayous with ardent tidal flow to and from the Gulf holds plenty of sandies.

Carolina-rigged fresh shrimp and/squid gets plenty of pulls. Large black drum and redfish will begin to hang around the jetty as well. Finger mullet or crabs bend poles for hours.

The Colorado River has been a mainstay all fall and winter. We have not received much rain for the past four months and the river has remained a beautiful emerald color with trout hanging along the ledges, willing to inhale soft plastics. It’s a great place to fish, even when the cold winds blow – a great backup plan when the bays are blown out.

No doubt, February is an unpredictable month. Fish when you can and when you catch fish, figure out why you did.

Follow our reports @ matagordasunriselodge on Instagram and Bink Grimes on Facebook.

TSFMAG.com | 61

CAPT. GARY GRAY

MID-COAST BAYS With the Grays

Port O'Connor Seadrift

Captain Gary Gray is a full time guide, born and raised in Seadrift. He has been guiding the Seadrift/Port O’Connor region since 1986. Gary specializes in year ‘round wade fishing for speckled trout and redfish with artificial lures.

Telephone 361-785-6708 Email bayrats@tisd.net Website www.bayrat.com Facebook @captsgaryandshelliegray

Old Man Winter has been showing his face off and on here on the middle coast, pretty much typical for our region. Some mornings have given us 30-ish temps but even then the afternoons reached the 60s. More common have been nighttime lows in the 50s and then warming to the 70s later in the afternoon.

These somewhat milder air temperatures deliver milder water temperatures on average, which fit quite well into my wintertime fishing plans. This opens a lot of areas where winter fishing can be productive. So far we haven’t been tied down to muddy backwaters such as the famed Pringle Lake or other bog-hole locations.

My clients and I have had numerous productive days wading sandy shorelines of West Matagorda and San Antonio bays. These areas are only productive for us right now because of the abundance of bait that finds the water temps appealing enough to stay on the main bay shorelines. Of course when the temps drop through the night the bait finds its way right back to the comfort zones of the deeper marsh entrances, until the sun warms the shorelines and flats again. Just remember, when you see bait this time of year, there is a very good chance that there

Two of my current wintertime favorites; Texas Custom Lures Fatboy (top), Steve Brown Brokenback (bottom).

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BOOTH #4606 62 | February 2020

Ed Wasser getting his line stretched.

will be fish to be caught in the area. Hopefully this mild winter weather will hold through February and we can continue working this pattern.

There has been no one “golden lure” the past few weeks although I have primarily been sticking to a rather short list in several shades of color. One of my proven year-round producers is the Bass Assassin 4” Sea Shad in either Magic Grass or Purple Chicken on 1/16 ounce Bass Assassin jigheads.

The way we work these lures depends mostly on how the bait is behaving. When the baitfish are mostly below the surface we work the lure slower and lower in the water column. When the baitfish are hanging near the surface – rolling, flipping, or even skipping – we work the lure higher in the water column and more aggressively to get the predator’s attention.

Another lure that has been part of my wintertime arsenal for quite a few years but has earned more playing time recently is the Steve Brown Broken Back Corky. I am able to work this lure faster than the other Corky-types while maintaining a realistic baitfish appearance. The colors I prefer are the lighter ones such as the Chartreuse/Silver Belly. I also save space in my wade box for the Texas Custom Lures Fat Boy in Texas Turnip.

Another scenario comes when we are having bone-chilling nights followed by overcast days and little or no afternoon warming of the water. Under these conditions our strategies change dramatically, targeting muddy-bottom back lakes and the drains that funnel water to these areas.

The warmest water will be found in the protected environments of the deeper drains and adjacent areas. During these chill downs the water levels will drop with the passage of frontal systems and the fish head to the deeper troughs and sloughs for warmth.

These conditions with colder water temps dictate some changes in the lures I choose to entice strikes from gamefish that would likely not be in active feeding mode. I usually stick more to the slower sinking baits such as a Paul Brown Original Corky or the Corky Fat Boy Floater. Both of these lures will get the job done on cold water trout and redfish. The only thing you have to remember about fishing these lures in these weather conditions is to work them slow-w-w-w with only slight twitches. The lure needs to pretty much suspend in front of a lethargic gamefish to entice it to bite. Patience and practice will win out every time when a deep overnight chill and little daytime heating are in play.

These are all very good lures to begin your day with, but it is ultimately up to the fish that you are targeting to tell you which lure will be the top choice for the conditions of the day.

On another note, Shellie and I will be attending the 45th Annual Houston Fishing Show at the George R. Brown Convention Center that will run Wednesday March 4th through Sunday March 8th. We will be at booth #624 and will also be manning a booth for Bass Assassin adjoined to our booth. Stop by and talk fishing or just to see what’s new with Bass Assassin Lures.

Fish hard, fish smart!

TSFMAG.com | 63

DAVID ROWSEY

HOOKED UP WITH Rowsey

Upper Laguna/ Ba f f i n

David Rowsey has over 25 years in Baffin and Upper Laguna Madre; trophy trout with artificial lures is his specialty.

David has a great passion for conservation and encourages catch and release of trophy fish.

Telephone 361-960-0340 Website www.DavidRowsey.com Email david.rowsey@yahoo.com @captdavidrowsey

64 | February 2020

Judging by the number of fast boats on the water, there is no doubt that most everyone’s favorite big trout month has arrived. February is the month of legend in Baffin Bay. I’m sure it has been a great month to catch congregated giant trout since dinosaurs existed, but when Jim Wallace set the state record on February 6, 1996 the myth hit the mainstream among modern day speckled trout fishermen. I have so many February stories of my own that I could write a book on nothing but this famed 28 day stretch.

Exactly twenty years ago, Tom Nix, founder and original publisher of the Saltwater Angler, promoted the first live-weigh trout tournament ever staged on the Texas coast. A very close friend talked me into throwing our money into the pot. I had never fished a saltwater tourney but, as a confident young fisherman I thought, “What the hell!”

At the captain’s meeting, I really wanted to get my money back, the field was loaded with every top guide on the coast, Jim Wallace himself, and some other local notables. After two days of fishing in

bad weather, miraculously, we came out on top and won the big event. Looking back these twenty years later, that weekend kind of changed my life. I started fishing tournaments up and down the coast. I was blessed to win some big ones, got close to winning in many, and struck out in many more. The wins and near-wins earned me name recognition that, though I didn’t understand at the time, would benefit me down the road. Twenty years have passed and here I sit, a full time fishing guide, the last thing in the world I ever strived to be as a hungry young fisherman.

God has his way of taking us down paths we never thought would become our main road and, unbeknownst to me, did it that fateful weekend.

Every morning now when we head out in the boat, I silently ask him to protect us and bring us home safe.

I remind him that he got me into this being a captain thing, and he needs to guide me to the fish. He’s a good listener. Amen!

I guess one of the greatest things about February is that it is the beginning of the entire Upper Laguna-Baffin ecosystem beginning to hold trophy

fish, possibly on any shoreline and spoil island. This trend will run all the way into May and comprises my absolute favorite four months of the year.

Baffin is known for its rock formations and the quality of fish that relate to them. Equally as attractive are the vast potholes (sand holes) on both the north and south shoreline, in the Meadows, and parts of the area known as Yarbrough. I am a tried and true pothole guy. I love fishing shallow and seeing sand holes to cast toward, with great anticipation of what might be lying in them, poised to pounce on my lure. The Upper Laguna, all the way up to Corpus Christi Bay, has thousands of areas that hold this ideal structure. My primary focus for the next couple of months will be in knee to crotch deep water for the biggest trout (unless it’s just brutally cold…I’ll go deeper). Slot trout from 15 to 20-inches will be found in the deeper but still wadeable water, if getting more bites is your game.

A short while ago the good guys at MirrOlure sent me some of the new Paul Brown Fat Boy Pro. As I told them the first day after using one, “I was a bit skeptical about any modifications or ‘improvements’ to this legendary lure Mr. Paul created in his garage so many years ago.” For the average user, you may think the cool-looking foil inserts and heavier hooks are the only difference. The Pro is actually just a touch larger, and the weight is distributed differently so that it makes the Fat Boy fall flat instead of tail down. This also had some effect of the wobble or walk of the lure in a positive way, as it has very exaggerated movement from side to side. Personally, I think MirrOlure has knocked it out of the park on this one.

My current wade box: MirrOdine XL (slow sink), MirrOlure Fat Boy (floater) and Fat Boy Pro, Double D by Texas Custom Lures, 5” Bass Assassin straight-tail rigged on 1/16-1/8 oz. 2/0 (short shank) jigheads.

Remember the buffalo! -Capt David Rowsey

TSFMAG.com | 65

WAYNE DAVIS

WAYNE’S Mansfield Report

Port Mansfield

Captain Wayne Davis has been fishing the Lower Laguna-Port Mansfield for over 20 years. He specializes in wade fishing with lures.

Telephone 210-287-3877 Email captwayne@kwigglers.com

66 | February 2020

Greetings from Port Mansfield! If you remember back in early November we had a very cold norther come through that made everyone think an unusually cold winter might lie ahead. Well, that hasn’t happened, so far anyway. The fronts that followed in November and December didn’t pack near the punch.

February is generally the month when trophy trout enthusiasts begin to get really serious. The next couple months or so will be our best opportunity to catch a lifetime fish. But, like everything else truly worth achieving, lifetime fish must be earned. Sure, some get lucky – take the first-timer on their first wade trip getting a thirty-incher. Yes, it does happen occasionally but most of us have to dig deep and earn that special fish. With increasing numbers of anglers on the water I’d say it is becoming an even greater challenge to pull it off. So, a more strategic approach to this quest is what I have been deploying with my big trout trips.

In my last article I mentioned not having to be in your fishing spot before sunup; unless of course you need to secure your footprint in a certain area. I like to lean on the side of strategy rather than bold moves, but rest assured depending on the circumstances we

sometimes must get out early. Having said that, let me expound on a strategic approach from a recent trip.

I had one client and we left the dock at 9:00 AM. We arrived in the area I wanted to start but there was an unfamiliar boat with waders fishing.

I dropped the Power Poled about a mile away and started to retie leaders, going through my tackle bag, and basically just piddling with gear. My client asked, “Are we going to fish or what?”

I told him to just relax and be patient. I could tell the other group had been in the water a long time, likely before sunup as they were quite a distance from their boat. They picked up and left after about 45 minutes. You see, the bite was dead and there was no current, very little wind, and you just feel the fish were not in an active or feeding mood.

I eased in. We slid into the water and slowly started to pick apart potholes, grassbeds, and each flicker of bait with plastics. We were accurate with our casts and within about 30 minutes we began receiving light taps followed by explosive eruptions and heavy fish. Albeit, most were redfish, but for the rest of the day we landed over 60 fish between us. My client was thrilled to no end and at the end of the day he told me it was one of his best trips ever. More importantly, we walked fewer than 100 yards from my boat. Something else worth noting about being there nearly eight hours – you can observe the bay come alive, go dormant, and come alive again.

You see current lines developing you wouldn’t normally notice if you spent only 30 minutes or so. In the eyes of transparency this strategy is not one to hang your hat on, but it’s the one I used because I knew the fish were in the area. Timing is often more important than jumping from spot to spot.

As you may have guessed our redfish catches are awesome right now. We’ve also had a few good trout in the mix with two clients landing personal bests. While scouting recently I saw a trout that was in the eight to nine-pound range coupled with a few in the five to six-pound range.

I believe we will begin seeing notable trout catches very soon.

Our topwater bite has been relatively slow with our best catches coming on soft plastics.

KWigglers Ball Tails in Lagunaflauge has been our best bait by far, even in shallow water. Next to that would be the Willow Tail Shad in the same color. We are fishing very shallow, knee to thigh, bouncing the baits along the bottom. More aptly, you have to dance the plastic in about six-inch increments. The bites have been soft, some merely feeling like being hung in grass. If you find yourself in this scenario give a mild hookset, you soon will know if it’s a big trout or red.

Fish should continue to pack on weight through February and into March and April. If you want a lifetime trophy the window of opportunity is now open. Don’t let it pass you by.

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TSFMAG.com | 67

CAPT. ERNEST CISNEROS

SOUTH PADRE Fishing Scene Arr o y o C ol o ra d o t o Po rt I sa bel

A Brownsville-area native, Capt. Ernest Cisneros fishes the Lower Laguna Madre from Port Mansfield to Port Isabel.

Ernest specializes in wading and poled skiff adventures for snook, trout, and redfish.

Cell 956-266-6454 Website www.tightlinescharters.com

Here comes February. From my years of experience I would say the shortest month is probably an angler’s best four weeks of the year to land a trophy trout. March and April are known for potentially heavier fish, if you gauge trophy status by weight more than length, given that developing roe adds greatly to their weight. February, though, is a month when trophy trout become more predictable and tend to congregate in larger groups, whereas spawning fish tend to be more scattered.

Lately, I have spent some time talking to big game hunters and they all seem to be well informed regarding the animal’s habits and behavior during the various seasons and weather conditions. Their knowledge has been gained over years of studying their quarry. Many of these same concepts are highly applicable to fishing – preferred seasonal habitats, feeding habits under varying weather and water conditions, etc.

On a recent trip, having not fished in more than a week, I spent considerable time reviewing the conditions we would face – air temperature, water temperature, wind prediction, tides, solunar, and the like. With all the information I could gather and prior experience to guide me, I narrowed it down to three specific fishing areas as we left the dock.

We stopped at my first choice as the conditions were perfect for the area and, let me tell you, I only started the outboard once after arriving. And that was to pull a repeat wade through the same stretch of water. We stayed on a solid bite for seven hours. Lucky guess?

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Carefully calculated guess would be more accurate. I’d done my homework and trusted the knowledge gained fishing similar conditions many years. The fish will always have the upper hand, but the more science and experience you can apply during the decision-making process, the better the odds of putting yourself among the species you are seeking.

Our speckled trout fishery appears very healthy and the big ones are showing up. My lure selection this time of year for larger trout includes Paul Brown’s family of slow-sinking/suspending baits, now made by MirrOlure, and the Borboleta Lele twitchbait. I am also very fond of the KWiggler Willow Tail Shad – Turtle Grass and Mansfield Margarita. Generally, a slower presentation is required, the colder the water the slower the retrieve with all the baits mentioned.

If your game is more oriented toward just catching fish in general, February is certainly a good time to experience that as well. The smaller trout will tend to feed better during periods of tide movement and there’s no better place than along the spoil humps and ledges of the ICW. Colder days will send them deeper and warm days will bring them to the shallower spoil areas. Trout of all sizes can be found in and around potholes on the flats during prolonged warming trends.

Good news for anglers who enjoying catching redfish; redfish numbers are presently very impressive and all that is required to get on them is to locate schools of mullet. Areas with plentiful blue crabs also seem to be attracting catchable numbers of the bronze bullies. A serious drop in water temperature will send them to deeper water temporarily but just wait until the sun comes out again. Shallow water warms very quickly and the reds can often be seen back on the flats the first warm afternoon after the front passes. Mud boils made by reds fleeing an approaching boat are some of the surest indicators for a fun-filled wading session.

February is usually our coldest month and the weather can be very unpredictable. I encourage that everybody heading out for a day of fishing check the weather forecast very carefully and dress accordingly. Fishing while you’re shivering is no fun and being stranded on the water overnight will definitely be miserable – possibly even life-threatening, should a strong norther happen to sweep across the coast. Dress in layers and consider packing some spare winter clothes in your dry box, just in case. Simms and AFTCO make excellent winter fishing wear; light, comfortable, and easy to fish in.

I just received Power Pole’s new CHARGE, a marine power management station that extends your day by applying power where it is needed as it transfers power between batteries very efficiently.

For those of you that rely heavily on trolling motors, sound systems, or electronics that drain batteries, this system has great possibilities. I will be installing mine soon and will report back on its performance. Check it out and learn more on Power Pole’s website.

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TSFMAG.com | 69

FISHING REPORTS

Trinity Bay - East Bay - Galveston Bay | James Plaag Silver King Adventures - silverkingadventures.com - 409.935.7242 James says the fishing in the parts of Galveston Bay he's been using has been consistent lately. “Both wading and drifting have really good potential this time of year. As a rule, the low tides and cold weather favor fishing out of the boat. The old-school plan was to head out to the open waters around Green's and Mecom's Cuts and look for muddy streaks in the water. The fish are usually concentrated in areas where there's some scattered shell on the bottom. Fishing with soft plastics rigged on jigheads heavy enough to allow for maintaining contact with the bottom out there works best. Throwing 51 and 52M MirrOlures and working them with rhythmic movements of the rodtip, with it pointed at the water, is another proven method. Wading perks up when onshore winds blow the tide back in, and is especially good in the coves and along the shorelines late in the afternoons. February is a great month for catching big trout that way. We're looking forward to some excellent wading if this mild winter weather holds up. But if we get some sustained cold weather, we should be able to keep right on catching out in the middle.”

Jimmy West - Bolivar Guide Service - 409.996.3054 Jim was headed out for an afternoon/evening wade on the day he gave this report. “I like fishing late-afternoon hours, into the first hour of the night this time of year. Especially when we have strong moons and incoming tides after a spell when the tides have been low, fishing right around dusk can be outstanding. When wading the shallows along the shorelines this time of year, I throw slow-sinking lures like Paul Brown Lures mostly. We're also catching plenty of trout and some redfish in the drains and bayous, in a little deeper water. This pattern works best when the weather's cold and tides are really low. Catching fish in those areas is easiest on tails, usually ones rigged on fairly light jigheads, like eighth-ounce, unless the current is strong, then we sometimes have to use heavier ones. We've had a decent influx of fish move into East Bay recently, after months without much going on. The floods ran our fish out for much of the year, but they're coming back. And February's a great month to catch 'em, especially some of the big trout. We should be set up for a decent run on the shorelines and around drains and patch reefs in the back of the bay.”

West Galveston - Bastrop - Christmas - Chocolate Bays Randall Groves - Groves Guide Service 979.849.7019 - 979.864.9323 Randall said he recently experienced some excellent fishing on days after westerly winds blew the tides out to low levels. “Lately, we've been fishing pretty shallow water along area shorelines, throwing Paul Brown Lures and Norton Sand Shads most of the time, catching plenty of trout with a good number of reds mixed in. On the leeward shorelines, where the water is clear, natural colors like emerald green/silver and copper top have worked really well, when we're throwing the slow-sinking twitchbaits.

Sand Shads in chicken on a chain are working well in those same kinds of areas. In the dirtier water on wind-blown shorelines, brighter colors and lures with stronger contrasting colors have worked better. In all cases, working the lures slowly, and pausing to let them fall has been the best way to get more bites. We're rigging the soft plastics on sixteenth-ounce heads most of the time, because the fish like the slow fall-rate this time of year. Another great pattern to work when the tide falls out is fishing from 70 | February 2020

ORECASTS F from Big Lake to Boca Chica

AND

the boat in depths of four to seven feet of open water, where the bottom has a mix of mud and shell, especially in places where muddy streaks are interspersed with clear, green water.”

Matagorda | Tommy Countz Bay Guide Service - 979.863.7553 cell 281.450.4037 Tommy mentioned something lots of people already know, that East Matagorda can be a great place to target giant trout in February. “We've seen some really big trout caught recently, mostly by waders over in East Bay. Best bets over there include fishing some of the pockets on the South Shoreline, places with a little depth when the tide goes out, throwing slow-sinking twitchbaits like Paul Brown Lures or SoftDines. Lots of people do well by sleeping in and fishing afternoon hours, right up to dusk or a little after. When the water's clear and low, the shallows heat up well under the sun, and bait activity picks up from mid-afternoon on into the night.

We might also have plenty of trout in the Colorado River if water temps fall into the mid and low-50s for several days. Catching is often best in there early in the morning, from just before dawn to about the time the sun hits the water. Throwing soft plastics on jigheads weighing at least threeeighths of an ounce usually works best in the deep water. In West Bay, low tides concentrate redfish in the subtle drains coming out of the shallow backwater areas on the peninsula.”

Palacios | Capt. Aaron Wollam www.palaciosguideservice.com - 979.240.8204 Fishing has been really good, off the charts, maybe the best winter of fishing we've had in over a decade here in the Palacios area. Our trout have been biting regularly in many locations. The Tres Palacios River has been holding good numbers of solid sixteen to eighteen-inch trout. They're mostly hanging close to ledges when the water's warmer and moving into the deeper holes when it's colder. The DSL in dirty tequila and chicken of the sea rigged on three-eighths ounce heads slowly bounced along the bottom or fluttered down the faces of the ledges have accounted for the most bites. Night-fishing in town and in the turning basins has been great too. Glow beetle spec rigs have worked best under the lights, especially when the tide is moving. Fishing for reds has been unbelievably good.

We've had typical low winter tides and the shorelines adjacent to drains are loaded with slot-sized fish. For the first time I can remember, we've been able to sight-cast and catch all the fish we want. LSU Matrix Shad, three-inch Gulp! shrimp and quarter-ounce gold spoons have all been urging plenty of strikes. These patterns should all hold up as long as the weather patterns remain the same.

Port O’Connor | Lynn Smith Back Bay Guide Service - 361.983.4434 In February, Lynn predicts he'll be fishing mostly muddy, grassy flats, targeting big trout. “We like to spend most of our time this month looking for some of the biggest trout around. We stay in areas with a muddy bottom, covered with plenty of grass beds. The mud and grass seems to hold more bait and more big trout in the colder months. We don't usually go out early in the morning; we usually leave the dock around ten o'clock or so, and fish through the afternoon, to let the sun heat up the shallow water on the flats. As always, we look for signs of life in an area before we spend much time there. Concentrations of bait are much easier to find after the sun has been up for a while and the

early morning chill burns off. For lures, we like to throw mostly slow sinkers like the old Paul Brown Original Lures and Fat Boys, also MirrOdines and SoftDines. We do use topwaters some, especially if the bites come easy enough and we see lots of bait jumping, but the slow-sinking twitchbaits work better on a daily basis than the topwaters. Soft plastics serve mostly to keep off the smell of the skunk.”

Rockport | Blake Muirhead Gator Trout Guide Service - 361.790.5203 or 361.441.3894 Now that the hunting seasons have ended, Blake will be back to fishing as much as he can. “We'll still spend some time in the back lakes targeting reds. Fishing in those is usually good for reds when the weather's warm for this time of year and tides are high. Sometimes, big schools gather in there and are pretty easy to find. When targeting trout in February, we like to fish main-bay shorelines and coves which have a mix of mud and grass on the bottom. The slow-sinking lures work well in places like that, especially when water temperatures are in the 50s. If the weather's a bit warmer, the topwaters work better, so we won't hesitate to try them anytime we have a warm spell and we see lots of bait moving actively around us. Of course, as always, we'll keep the Norton Sand Eels in dark colors with bright tails ready. When the bite slows down, the catching is often best on those. The water's in great shape in all our bays right now, so I expect we'll have some great days in the second half of winter. It's a great time to be on the water in the Coastal Bend.”

Upper Laguna Madre - Baffin Bay - Land Cut Robert Zapata – rz1528@grandecom.net - 361.563.1160 Since it's now February, the hunting seasons are all over or just about over.

Many more people will start getting serious about hunting for the trout of a lifetime, because this month is such a great one in which to do just that.

The water temperatures are usually pretty cold, so the trout usually move into fairly deep water during the night. Because of this, I normally start my days of fishing along area shorelines where flats about two to three feet deep lie close to drop-offs close to water at least five feet deep, preferably deeper. I like to use Bass Assassin Die Dappers in colors like chicken on a chain, plum/chartreuse, trickster or salt&pepper silver phantom/chartreuse rigged on eighth or quarter-ounce Spring Lock jigheads. Mostly, we cast these lures along the drop-offs and bounce them along the edges, or on the bottom out a little ways, in deeper water. As the sun climbs in the skie, the shallower parts of these areas warm up and the fish move into them in better numbers. We spend most of our time working our lures slowly, near the bottom. Most of our bites come in the form of a very light tap, barely perceptible, even with sensitive braided line.

Corpus Christi | Joe Mendez – www.sightcast1.com - 361.877.1230 February is a prime month for targeting some of the giant trout which made fishing in the Baffin/ULM system famous. Wading can be a great way to catch the biggest trout, focusing efforts on muddy, grassy flats with a few rocks scattered on them, especially ones lying pretty close to deeper water. Places along the north shoreline of Baffin and the west shoreline of the ULM typically produce best, particularly when the weather's on the cold side. Fishing the flats on the south shoreline of Baffin and in eastern portions of the ULM produce better when it's warmer and onshore winds blow. Those of us who like to fish from the boat can pull some of the giant trout out of places close to these shallow, muddy flats, usually by throwing around rocks lying in four or five feet of water. The waders sometimes do best using slow-sinking twitchbaits, but out of the boat, we normally have better luck throwing soft plastics. We'll rig them on the lightest jigheads possible which allow us to maintain some regular contact with the bottom, normally either three-eighths or quarter-ounce. We catch a lot of upper-slot reds fishing these patterns this time of year too.

P.I.N.S. Fishing Forecast | Eric Ozolins 361-877-3583 | Oceanepics.com The winter surf bite remains strong. Florida pompano – highly prized as table fare – have been available consistently all winter. The traditional methods of using Fish-bites synthetic bait-strips and peeled shrimp are producing well. If hardheads become a problem, try using only a single Fish-bites strip.

Redfish ranging from slot to oversize are still present in the surf. This winter has also been remarkable for the abundance of little tunny. Unlike other tunas, little tunny are not regarded as highly-edible, but they provide great sport and make great bait for a variety of species. Should you be lucky to see them schooling and making a disturbance on the surface while feeding on tiny baitfish, your best baits are the smallest spoons and flies in your tackle box. In the shark category, the larger sandbars should be around until April. Please note that sandbars are federally protected and must be released. On warm and calm days, if the water temp hasn’t dropped too much, larger blacktip females should come into the shallows, eating everything in sight. Generally mild winter weather has given us a great variety of surf species – get out there and have fun!

Port Mansfield | Ruben Garza Snookdudecharters.com – 832.385.1431 Getaway Adventures Lodge – 956.944.4000 This time of year, with fast-moving fronts coming and going, finding the right places to fish can be a challenge. Right before a front comes, the fishing is usually better south of port. Areas from West Bay to the Pipeline and the Saucer, all the way to Green Island can be productive. The spoil humps just north of Bennie's Island also produce well on a regular basis.

Topwaters will work some of the time, but soft plastics rigged on eighthounce heads produce more consistently. Colors like pink flamingo, bone diamond and Lagunaflauge catch my eye best on most days. Heading north when winds are light and fishing the west shoreline in areas like Century Point, the oak motts and on the front side of Long Island Slough makes good sense, as does wading around the spoils to the east of the ICW near the Land Cut. Drifting the deeper waters around Dubb's and Butcher's Islands using soft plastics or Gulp! lures under popping corks works much better for some people. In many of these places, one of the keys to catching more fish is to focus efforts on water that's got some color to it, either stirred up by currents or winds, or both.

Lower Laguna Madre - South Padre - Port Isabel Aaron Cisneros | tightlinescharters.com – 956-639-1941 Fishing has been red hot while the we've experienced mild winter temperatures. Trout are holding in big potholes, with many three to five pounders biting, along with an occasional six. Topwaters can be effective for catching them on warmer days, and we've been having good luck with them since our water temps are hovering in the mid-60s mostly.

The fish have been biting floating lures best when they're worked with a slow, steady rhythm. For faster action, we switch to Kwigglers Ball Tails in strawberry/cool-tip, rigged on eighth-ounce screw-lock jigheads.

We're hauling in great numbers of fish, using slow retrieves, pulling these through sandy pockets. Redfish numbers have been steady. We're finding plenty along shallow shorelines and on open sand flats. A few heavy trout usually lurk close to the big schools. Soft plastics work best for the reds, in sand color, rigged on sixteenth-ounce heads. Some of the biggest reds have been caught on reaction strikes provoked by speedy aspects of the presentation. These patterns look to be stable, and should hold up as long as the weather remains mild and warm. If and when strong fronts pass, all these fish will move toward spoil banks and channel edges with dropping tides and water temperatures.

TSFMAG.com | 71

Ian Sanders Jamaica Beach - 11” flounder

Brien Barrera Baffin Bay - bull red CPR

Debbie Chambers 33” personal best red! CPR

Winter Scott Galveston - 21” trout, first fish!

72 | February 2020

Caden Foster Matagorda - jack crevalle

Bridgette Sherman Padre Island - 31” redfish

Eric Castillo topwater redfish

Seth Sanders Green’s Cut - 4.5 lb flounder

Jim York ICW - flounder

Wes Cole Port Aransas - first bull red! CPR

Jack Sanders Jamaica Beach - redfish

Yvette Galvan Galveston Bay - 28” 8 lb personal best trout!

Braedin Aubele Galveston - sheepshead CPR

Jackson Johannessen Packery Channel - first keeper trout!

David Wittman West Bay - 25” flounder

Jeff Grammo Texas City - 47 lb black drum CPR

Gracie Jo Griffin 2.96 lb - first flounder!

Dillon Migues 9’ 1” tiger shark

Louis Rocha Bolivar Peninsula - 36” first bull red! CPR

Mauricio Wheelock San Bernard River - black drum

Cole Ives Garcitas Creek - 27.5" 8 lb first big red

Billy Anthony Freeport - 27” redfish

Juan Perez Galveston - 25” redfish

Photo Gallery Guidelines First come – first published!

Photos are judged on artistic merit and sporting ethic displayed. No stringer, cleaning table, or hanging board images allowed.

Digital images only. Adjust camera to high or best quality. All images become property of TSFMag. Email to: Photos@TSFMag.com Include short description of your catch with name, date, bay system, etc.

Ayden Sanchez Seawolf Park - first flounder!

Wayne Gonzales Fish or get off the pot!

Trey Presley 20” personal best flounder!

TSFMAG.com | 73

PAM JOHNSON

Gulf Coast

Got ideas, hints or recipes you’d like to share?

Email them to pam@tsfmag.com or send by fax: 361 792-4530

Coconut Shrimp

with Apricot Dipping Sauce

SHRIMP INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

2 lbs 20-count or larger shrimp, headed and deveined

Heat oil to 300 degrees.

Cooking oil to fill fryer 2 cups flour 2 cups shredded coconut 3 egg whites 1/8 cup water

Dipping Sauce Valentina Mexican Hot Sauce Apricot Jam Mix equal parts for a yummy dipping sauce.

74 | February 2020

Place flour and coconut on separate paper plates.

Whip eggs and water together in large bowl.

Dredge shrimp in flour, then in egg wash, and then in coconut (pressing lightly for coconut to adhere).

Fry until golden brown on both sides.

Danny and Terri McGuire served us the best coconut shrimp we’ve ever eaten recently. The dipping sauce was the perfect compliment. Many thanks for sharing your recipe with our readers.

TSFMAG.com | 75

S P O N S O R E D B Y C O A S TA L B E N D M A R I N E

C H R I S M A P P ’ S R E PA I R & M A I N T E N A N C E STEERING SYSTEM TYPES & MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS There are six designs of steering engine, twin, triple, and quad engine applications beginning with 115 and systems in common use on boats greater horsepower, where less steering effort is desired. Electro-hydraulic produced today. Three are mechanical is hydraulic steering with an assist component; when the steering wheel systems that use cables; rotary, nois turned the pressure sensors trigger the electric pump which make the Chris Mapp, owner of feedback (NFB), and rack and pinion. steering almost effortless. The last style of hydraulic steering systems Coastal Bend Marine.

There are also three styles of hydraulic maintains about 30 psi air pressure over the hydraulic fluid in a sealed Evinrude, Suzuki, Yamaha, steering; standard hydraulic, electrocannister to act as a multiplier, effectively reducing steering effort required.

Mercury, Honda, BlueWave, hydraulic, and air/over hydraulic.

Preventive maintenance for all these systems is important and simple.

SilverWave, Shallow Stalker Rotary systems are commonly The recommendation is to wash the exposed steering actuator rod with Boats, Coastline Trailers, used with lower-horsepower engines soapy water and then apply a thin spray of Corrosion X Red to the cylinder Minnkota & Motor Guide and have a characteristic of naturally and rod prior to putting the boat in storage. This prevents corrosion and Trolling Motors. turning to the right when the steering pitting of the stainless shaft by eliminating oxygen from acting as an Great Service, Parts & Sales wheel is not being held by the accelerating agent in the corrosion process. The second recommendation “What can we do for you?” operator while is to inspect often for leaks at the cylinder and underway. This is due to prop torque. No-feedback bleed the system once a year. Always carry extra (NFB) steering is used for higher horsepower steering fluid on the boat with an appropriate engines, single cable up to 150 HP and dual cable applicator for that “just in case” moment when a with up to 225 HP. NFB steering maintains straightfishing hook might pierce a hydraulic hose. forward boat direction if the operator releases their grip on the steering wheel due to a counter Have a great winter fishing and boating season. gear included in the mechanism. Rack and pinion steering is much like the rotary system but is Chris Mapp Texas Custom Lures Double designed for narrow console applications.

Coastal Bend Marine | Port O’Connor, TX D getting the job done!

Hydraulic steering is used on most single coastalbendmarine.com | 361-983-4841

76 | February 2020

Science and the

Sea

TM

Shore Crabs’ A-Maze-ing Food-Finding Skills You’ve probably heard of mice making their way through a maze, and you may even have seen an octopus navigate one. But did you know that common shore crabs can find their way through mazes as well?

Scientists tested shore crabs’ spatial learning abilities with mazes.

Credit: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0, Hans Hillewaert Scientists at Swansea University in the United Kingdom wanted to learn more about the spatial learning abilities of European shore crabs. Spatial learning is the ability to understand where one is in a particular area and then move around relative to other objects in the environment.

They tested a dozen crabs in a maze that required the crustaceans to change direction five times and to avoid three dead ends to reach the tasty mussel waiting at the end.

Once a week over four weeks, the crabs became progressively faster and more accurate each time they went through the maze. After that month of testing, the crabs took a two-week break before the scientists returned them to the maze. The crabs remembered the route and navigated to the end in under 8 minutes—even though no food waited for them.

The scientists then tested a dozen new crabs with no experience in the maze. Those crabs took much longer to reach the end: an average of 39 minutes compared to the maze veterans’ average of 4.5 minutes. In fact, five of the new crabs never reached the end after an hour in the maze.

Crabs likely use spatial learning to find food in the wild. Learning about crabs’ spatial skills helps biologists understand how well the crabs may be able to adapt to changing conditions.

www.ScienceAndTheSea.org © The University of Texas Marine Science Institute TSFMAG.com | 77

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78 | February 2020

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